#LessonsFromGideon

“And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that He had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10 ESV

It’s pretty common for my writing to emerge from the things that I’m learning through personal study and devotion. Currently, I find myself immersed in the pages of the book of Judges, studying the history of the nation of Israel through the brief glimpse of a man named Gideon, whose life is summed up for us in only 3 chapters of Scripture. I’ve been hearing incredible things about Priscilla Shirer and her Bible study on Gideon, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to dive into it. From day one in this study, I’ve been challenged, convicted, and brought to my knees in prayer, and I would submit to you today that you can expect the very same thing in your life when you place yourself under the authority and teaching of God’s Word.

The main thing I cannot get out of my thoughts or prayers this week is this:

“Lord, mark this culture with a passion for the name of Jesus Christ!”

Just today, I was so convicted by this statement that has been stirring in me for days now, that I was brought to my knees in prayer, believing God for a revival in our generation. As the news headlines are filled with sex, scandal, and acts of terrorism, I can’t help but make this connection – we have forgotten the Lord and the works of His hands. A generation is rising up in our midst that has either not been told the truth about Jesus Christ or simply refuses to listen in their pursuit of rebellion. Whichever it is, the fallout and moral decay is staggering. You don’t need to search too hard to see the spiritual bankruptcy that surrounds us. Thank God for the hope that remains – grace. The God of the Bible is a God of second chances. Isn’t that the story of the nation of Israel in a nutshell? They repeatedly chose sin over obedience to God’s commands, and they repeatedly suffered the consequences of their foolish ways. Still, God never tired of seeking to restore them back to Himself. Despite their countless wanderings and idolatry, every time they found themselves devastated by the consequences of their sin, God’s mercy and grace showed up, often through men just like Gideon.

I’m no Biblical scholar nor am I a theologian by any stretch, but I wonder…can our current state of affairs in this world today somehow be connected to our neglect and even outright rejection of God, His Word, and His way? Does the godless culture we live in suggest failure on our part to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ to the generation that follows us? We walk on dangerous ground when we live a life of forgetfulness to all that God has done. Choosing to remember and to reflect on God’s faithfulness in the past helps to ensure our faithfulness to Him in our present and an unwavering trust that He will be faithful in our future. We must not forget. We must know the Lord and remember all that He has done. And we must pass this on to those that will follow us. Revival is necessary and critical, but it must start with one. Let it begin in you.