His eyes glazed as he stared into the fire. It leaped from one field to the next as it consumed his family’s future and his nation’s pride. A young boy at the time he wanted to run to his mother and feel the comfort that only her arms could bring, but as he looked up into her eyes he did not see the familiar warmth that she had consistently portrayed in the past. In desperation he turned to his father for strength. “My dad is a man of faith”, he said to himself. “Surely he will stand strong and assure us of the promises of our God!”  All his life he had heard his father preach about the mighty works of Yahweh. He had heard the story of Abraham and how God provided a sacrifice. He could quote to you the story of Moses and the Red Sea, because many times when they were in distress, his father would begin to recite this age-old story. This wasn’t the first time they had seen trouble, but there had never been anything like this.

As his gaze began to focus on his father he only saw a hollow shell of the man he once new. His hope was turned to hopelessness. A mixture of rage, sorrow, and confusion flooded his young mind. “How could this happen?” “Why doesn’t someone do something?” His mind began to spin as he could simultaneously hear the cries of his family and feel the pain of his nation mutilated by the armies of the Midianites.

The smoke from the fire billowed into the sky and blocked the radiance of the mid-eastern sun along with the promises and traditions they had held so dear. Hypnotically his eyes fixed on to the lapping flames and suddenly he felt as though time itself had loosed its hold on him. His harsh surroundings all but disappeared and in one moment this young man found purpose. He collided headlong with the reality of his destiny. 

As quickly as it came, it left. He didn’t know how or why, but he knew that greatness awaited him. The innocence of childhood left his face as his brow furrowed and his eyes squinted. He grabbed his father by the shoulders and shook him out of his stupor. “We must gather our things!” he said. “They’ll be back.” They gathered what was left of their belongings and went into town.

In order to keep the Israelites from prospering and growing too strong, the Midianites began to pilfer through their houses and burn their fields with regularity. Day in and day out Gideon watched as many brave men left the village to gather crops from a field hidden from the Midianites and they never returned. If the enemy found anyone harvesting crops they would kill them and burn the harvest. These were dangerous times and yet Gideon’s young mind raced with hope that God would somehow use him to deliver His people from the hand of their enemy.

Many in the village religiously sat in sackcloth and ashes crying, “Why God?! Why?” Although he was young, Gideon new exactly why this had happened. He had all too often heard the Sunday school lessons that described how in times past his people would sin, fall into bondage, repent and be delivered. Despite the lessons of the past Israel had once again forsaken the God of their fathers and apostasy was rampant in the land. Gideon knew that sin was the cause of this deadly disease and repentance was its only cure.

He watched as God’s chosen people worshiped false gods. Even his own family had fallen prey to idolatry and the illusion of peace and safety that it brings. In a fluster of zeal and compassion he urged his family to turn from this idolatry and he compelled his people to stand up to the onslaught of the enemy. “God is faithful! If we turn to Him, He will defeat our enemy!” But it was to no avail. He was constantly reminded that he was the least in his family and that they were a very weak and poor tribe.

Over time Gideon himself became estranged from the promises of God. He had heard of the great things his God had done but he never actually saw any miracles himself. “Could they have all just been stories?” he wondered. He had prayed and fasted but he never had a divine encounter himself. Maybe his family was right. Maybe it would be better to just go with the flow.

After some time Gideon gave up all hopes of leading his people into victory. There was an overwhelming pressure from his family and friends to be normal. Because of this pressure Gideon buried the call to greatness deep within his subconscious.

Attempting to fill the void caused by the neglect of his calling he settled for the most feared job in the village. He became a harvester. He would do what few were willing to do. Daily he would sneak away to the old winepresses. These places would always remind him of better days. They were symbols of a time when his nation was prosperous and at peace. Now they were used as hideaways to sift whatever wheat they had managed to harvest.    

In the winepress Gideon would spend his days in earnest prayer as he worked. “Why would God allow this to happen? Where are all of the miracles I’ve heard about? Maybe this is what I am called to do. Maybe this is what God meant when He called me to greatness?” He didn’t know that he was about to have a divine encounter!

Today’s Gideons

 Today a new generation stands as a mirror image of this hero of the faith. I believe that everyone reading this can, in some way, relate to the same struggles that Gideon faced. This generation has not seen a real move of God and we have begun to question whether it’s even possible. Many of you at one time may have been very passionate about the things of God but you have since become cold, indifferent and callused. Sadly, the passion in your heart has been quenched by the current mediocrity of the Church. You began to compare your Christianity with others instead of with Christ. As a result you have settled for the norm and you have buried God’s purpose for your life deep within your subconscious.

Attempting to fill the void caused by the neglect of your calling you have settled for going to church, reading your Bible, or maybe trying to live a good life. All the while deep down you know that there’s more. Every time you try to take one step forward it seems as though you’re pushed two steps backward. You’re unsettled and you feel like there is no escaping compromise.

 If this describes you… If you who have been estranged from Him, its time to return. It’s time to rekindle that flickering flame that still burns in your heart. It’s time to come out of the muck and the mire of mediocrity and take your rightful place on the Rock of Ages.

Do not be mistaken. This will be the greatest challenge of your life. The power of mediocrity is far more subtle and sinister than any other bondage known to man. The only way to be set free is to have to have a divine encounter. You may even feel as though you can’t do it alone and you dont have to. We’ll pray with you that you will fulfill Gods purpose for your life.

As Gideon was threshing wheat in the wine press just before he had his encounter, he prayed a prayer that is the cry of all our hearts and if we will earnestly seek God we will receive an answer to the question,

“Where is the Power?”