Good morning! It’s good to be together on this Tuesday in the Pastor’s Workshop.
This week we’re starting a new series: “Ready to Reopen?” Its Scriptural base is Judges 6 and 7. This is the story of Gideon.
The title of the series is a question. It’s a relevant question for this month. Particularly as all segments of our society are asking the question and answering with their own unique strategies and plans.
At Spring Valley we will also be asking and answering are we “Ready to Reopen?” As a people of faith we know our considerations in how we view and how we answer this question are in some ways similar and in some ways different than other folks in our community.
Of course we will be mindful of and responsive to the medical and health considerations which are part of the pandemic. And at the same time we know that the actions we take are also acts of faith. As we move forward it is not as a reaction to fear as much as a response of faith. II Timothy 1:7 says it well, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
And so as part of our “answer” we turn to Bible, particularly Judges 6 and 7, to inform our response to “Ready to Reopen?” This Sunday we’ll start with the beginning of the story of Gideon, focusing on Judges 6:1-16.
If you are a regular reader you know that on Monday we immerse ourselves In the Scripture. We read and re-read, write and re-write, paraphrase and pray. It’s all about listening and letting God’s creative Spirit stir within us through the words of the Scripture.
On Tuesday we look into the structure of the Scripture. How does the Scripture flow? How is the main idea presented? What are key concepts we may need to include in Sunday’s message?
As I read the text here’s how it unfolds in my understanding:
· Israel has forgotten its covenant relationship with God. In that forgetfulness it has pursued life in ways that are outside of God’s will.
· They have experienced the consequences of their choices. They have suffered at the hands of an oppressor, the Midianites, for a “full season”, seven years.
· Because of that oppression that have had to shelter in caves and strongholds in the mountains.
· Whenever they tried to “rise up” and resume life as normal (planting and harvesting), the Midianites would resurge, like “locusts”, and obliterate everything.
· The Israelites were “greatly impoverished” by this oppression in every way.
· In this oppression they turned back to God and cried to the Lord.
· The Lord answered. God sent a prophet to the people, reminding them of who God was, “I am the Lord” and the relationship they share, “…your God”. Verse 10 is a call back to Covenant.
· Then the Lord sends a messenger, “an angel”, to the one who would be leading the people out of oppression. An angel comes to Gideon.
· The angel finds Gideon threshing wheat in a wine press. The picture is one of “operating under oppression”.
· The greeting is one of challenge, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior!” God sees something in Gideon that Gideon doesn’t see in himself.
· Gideon has questions, doubts and fears. If God is “our God” why has all this happened?
· The angel doesn’t spend time answering, “Why”. Instead the angel commissions Gideon into action. Verse 14, “Go… Have I not sent you?”
· In fear Gideon focuses on himself and his weaknesses. “I am from the weakest clan and the least in my family.”
· God reminds Gideon that when God commissions, God accompanies and empowers.
There is a lot of material in the text. So as we discern a message for Sunday we’ll need to get to the core and be succinct. Sometimes the obvious parallels of this story and our story are a good place to start.
Since there is a lot to cover I’ll let you get to work. And I’ll do the same. I pray God will guide us, not only in our message writing, but also in our ministry preparation.
In that faith and blessing I’ll look forward to joining with you again tomorrow in the Pastor’s Workshop.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for Your word of truth as it would come to us through the Scripture. We pray that in these days as we answer what it means to Reopen we would be guided by faith and not by fear. Remind us always of the Covenant relationship we share and the Commission You give. This we pray In the name of the One who gives us a spirit of love, of power and of a sound mind, even Jesus Christ our Lord.