And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” Judges 6:15
When I was young, but old enough that my peers were tying their own shoes, I stubbornly refused. I was just fine with my parents tying my shoes forever. Finally, my parents had enough, and made me learn something I didn’t want to learn. It’s too hard. If Velcro had been readily available, and if I had my way, I’d still be wearing Velcro shoes today. Thankfully though, despite my obstinance, my parents made me learn. I was just never going to get there on my own. They knew that I could learn, and they knew that for my own good, I needed to learn. For me though, it seemed like an insurmountable task. In following my parent’s instruction though, I did eventually tie my own shoes. Now, I can’t imagine not having this basic life skill. All Velcro, all the time, isn’t a good look for an adult.
God and I had a similar fight in my addiction. I hated my drug life, yet I couldn’t break free. So, I went to God, asking him to remove it. You do it. He told me that I must do something about it. But this is too hard. It’s impossible to stop. I’ve tried everything. God knew however, that I hadn’t yet followed him in obedience. I’d not gone to inpatient treatment or changed my life. I’d not done whatever it took to abandon me to follow him. I felt God was leaving me to suffer alone. God didn’t leave me though, and he didn’t make me do it alone. He was however, teaching me to be obedient. When I did finally begin to follow God’s plan, I experienced the supernatural help I’d been looking for all along.
Gideon found himself in a similar situation in today’s passage. Tasked with delivering Israel from the Midianites, Gideon objected – How can I save Israel? Gideon knew he lacked the competence required for this mission. God knew this too. Gideon could never conquer Midian on his own. If, however, Gideon followed God’s will, then God would move, and Gideon would be successful in whatever he was told to do. Gideon obeyed and God miraculously intervened.
This is what God offers us – supernatural intervention. Unfortunately, many of us remain satisfied with the Velcro life. We refuse to change because it’s just too hard. We’ve tried and failed a thousand times and so, we’ve given up. God though, knows that we simply haven’t been willing to do what it takes to abandon the old life to follow him. Instead we remain stuck in the old life. He doesn’t leave us to save ourselves, but neither does he force us to change. Instead, he daily delivers us from the old life, as we daily choose obedience, following him into the new one.