“Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”
Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”
“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”
The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”
Judges 6 : 11 - 16
All heroes have an origin story.
Every story is different. For a lot of us, the day we turned our lives over to Jesus sticks in our minds as ‘that moment’ when our lives changed. I remember that day. I had been struggling for a while: probably with some fear but mostly with a lack of earnest desire. For me, I knew it’d be a big change. In what seemed like forever, my family and church family had been praying for me. I was scared to make that big step and say yes; afraid of people talking to me about it afterwards, of the change that would happen inside me. I don’t know why, but one Sunday in May, I gave in to God and His will for me then, had a little faith, and let His Spirit live inside my heart. I was baptized with my sister soon after on May 9, 2004.
That was a long time ago. I’ve grown and changed a lot since. I’ve seen God move. I admit I’m still as weak as ever. And I’m certain that God has more transformations for me, shaping this mess of a person into something that might one day resemble His plan.
I don’t know where you are in your journey. Maybe you’re just starting. Maybe you’re doubtful of your potential. Maybe you’re about to say yes to something small. Maybe you’re like me, and need direction.
Whatever it is, let’s take comfort in the fact that He knows. He knows us, our weaknesses, and His plan for our destiny. He is patient for us. And He will work through many mediums to reassure us of His power and plan.
God doesn’t just want you to be his tool in His plan, but He wants to change you, to transform you into a Gideon. It starts with the first step.
All heroes have an origin story. What's yours? And what's the next scene in your story?
