From the YouVersion Bible App Devotional, “A God Who Is Faithful”, Day 2

Putting God to the Test

Gideon put God to the test. Gideon, by placing a fleece on the floor, took matters into his own hands and showed that he did not fully trust God. God had already told him that he would fight on the behalf of his people. Gideon’s practice, however, confirmed that he was reluctant to simply take God at his word. The tangible symbol of the wet fleece was a secondary sign of God’s faithfulness to confirm his word to the leader he had chosen. Faced with a far more daunting challenge, Jesus, at the beginning of his earthly ministry, was placed in a situation in which his trust in God’s word was challenged (Mt 4:1 – 11). Satan tempted Jesus to circumvent God’s plan and take matters into his own hands. First, after fasting for forty days, Jesus was challenged to turn stones into bread. Jesus, who would soon multiply a meager amount of fish and bread to feed the multitudes, surely had the ability to turn a stone into a piece of bread. But this action would have amounted to a failure to trust that God the Father, in his time and ways, would supply Jesus’ needs. Second, Satan tempted Jesus to throw himself off the highest point of the temple, citing that angels would protect him. This temptation would have bypassed the God-ordained path for his life, death and victorious resurrection. Third, the King of the universe was tempted to doubt God’s word and procure his own path to power and glory.

At each juncture, Jesus refused to test God’s word and faithfulness. Instead, relying on the power of God’s promises, he rejected Satan and continued to walk in confidence that God would provide. Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, religious leaders continued to place tests before Jesus in an effort to discount his claims to being the Son of God (Mt 16:1; Mk 10:2). Jesus refused to cater to their demands, while indicating that his public words and deeds were more than enough to show them who he was.

God’s Word and his proven faithfulness are a strong foundation for the faith of his people today. Met with the challenges of life in a fallen world, the church need not test God with trivial exercises like Gideon did here. God’s people, following the pattern set by Jesus, can stand securely on his Word and his character even in an uncertain future.

Today’s Prayer:

Jesus, I don’t want to doubt you like Gideon did. Help me to always take you at your word, because I know that your word never fails. Thank you for your miraculous power and your perfect timing. Amen.

My Thoughts

As I read today’s devotional, I could almost hear God’s exasperated sigh as Gideon asked for signs that He was truly calling him to lead. But God was patient and provided the signs Gideon needed to have confidence in the ability that God had given him. It made me think of all the times that I have not stepped out when I heard God tell me to do so because I lacked confidence. I’m not sure I was waiting to a sign, but I was definitely waiting for a push or a shove from God. I think God wants me to have confidence in Him just because He is God and has proven Himself over and over with me.

When I read Jesus’s responses to Satan, I can visualize Jesus calmly saying them to His enemy and then going back to talking to His Father. I know myself well and at that point of the temptation by Satan, I would have been stomping my feet and loudly yelling, hoping he would go away. But calm and quiet is the way of the Lord, not angrily demanding my rights as a Christian. I have no rights except what God has given me, so leaning on Him also means being patient and remaining peaceful.

I understand why people like Gideon wanted to test God. To me, it was a lack of self-confidence but it was also a lack of knowledge of just who God is and all of His power over His creation. In other words, I think it shows a lack of trust. So, why is the story of Gideon included in the Bible? Well, first of all, because God wanted it there. We can only speculate about why and perhaps shouldn’t go there. But I like to think that God included it because He wants us to know that it’s okay to not be fully confident in our own abilities because He has enough for each of us to make up for our shortcomings. If we have difficulty trusting, I think God is much more pleased when we are honest with Him about it than when we hide the truth from ourselves and don’t do what He wants us to do.

Satan questioned Jesus. The Pharisees questioned Jesus. The Sadducees questioned Jesus. And He answered all of them the same way, quietly reminding them of God’s Word. May we all learn to trust the way Jesus did and to answer with the Word of our Father, sending our enemies away puzzled by our reply and perhaps wanting to know more about the God we serve.