You gotta love Gideon. God comes to him, and the first thing he does is question Him.

Excuse me, but if the Lord is with us, why are we having so many troubles?

Pardon me, but how can I save Israel? I’m the youngest one of the weakest family in the tribe.

If it’s not too much trouble, prove to me that you’re really the Lord.

So then God proves that He is God, and Gideon panics! “Oh, Lord God! I’ve seen God face to face!” And God lovingly calms him down. So much so that Gideon builds an altar on that spot and names it “The Lord is Peace”.

You’d think that would settle it, right? Nah. Just before going into battle, the battle that God had told Gideon that He (God) would give him victory in, Gideon asks God for proof that He would indeed bring him victory. Not once, but twice(!) he asked.

We look at Gideon as we read this chapter and say, c’mon Gideon! Oh ye of little faith. Here God appears to you, and you question Him? Not once, but five times in just 40 verses! Dude, what do you want? Criminy!

You know why we have the Bible, right? Yes, it’s God’s way of revealing himself to us, but it also so that we can see that our weakness need not separate us from God. Talk about a weak faith! Five times Gideon questioned God. And God looked beyond his doubts and gave Gideon what he needed to build him up so that He (God) could accomplish something great through this very weak vessel.

Do you feel weak? Do you doubt that God can use you? It is always the weak, frail, damaged vessel that God chooses. You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to be a pillar of the community or a towering example of faith. God has something that He wants you to accomplish. I am as sure of that as anything in this world. If you are hearing my voice right now, you are on this planet for a God reason. If you know God has asked you to do something, but you’ve been putting off because you don’t feel worthy, get busy. If you don’t know what He wants you to do, ask Him, and keep asking until you get an answer. I guarantee He will answer you. That’s the kind of prayer that He loves.

And when you doubt, remember Gideon.