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Judges 6:11-24 – Praying through the Bible #71 – A Prayer of Pain and Abandonment
“God is good.” Such praise is often said as prayers are answered yes. Is God only good when we get what we want? When my kids ask for something and I say yes, they say, “Thank you, I love you.” Immediately I inquire, “Would you still love me if I said no?” They respond, “Yes, but I wouldn’t be as happy!” Honest answer; but shortsighted. They should be happy because I answered for their own good, even when saying no. If “God is good” when life is good, is God not good when life turns ugly? “Where is God when I am hurting?” Isn’t that a question every heart has felt, even if the lips are afraid to ask?
Lowly (6.15), fearful Gideon, hiding in a wine vat to thresh wheat because life is ugly, gets a surprise Visitor (Judg 6.11-12). The Angel of the Lord is Yahweh, most likely Jesus pre-incarnate (6.22-24). This Visitor shockingly says, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior” (6.12). This is a joke, right? God is mocking Gideon, right? Does a warrior hide in a wine vat from his enemies so they won’t still his food? Maybe you felt mocked by God when hiding in your own vat of fear, doubt or pain. “Warrior?” Gideon doesn’t think so. “The LORD is with you?” Oh yea? Then why is Gideon hiding in a hole? God sees what will be, and not just what is. With us, we are blinded by what is, and cannot see what can be with God.
Then Gideon asks a very touching question, maybe a very touchy question. “Please sir, if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened (6.13)?” That’s not the end of his questions. “And where are all His wonders that our fathers told us about? They said, ‘Hasn’t the LORD brought us out of Egypt? (6.13).” Then Gideon answers his own question: “But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to Midian” (6.13).
Good for Gideon! First, he does not doubt God’s reality. The problem of pain leads some to atheism, which is as sensible as denying your parents exist because they punish you. Second, he remembers his history. God will lead Gideon to victory, but He won’t repeat the great wonders of Egypt. I too have wished for great miracles. God’s victories, however, often come through mundane means, and unexpected people.
Gideon’s answer though is only half true. Yes, God handed them over because they had done evil (6.1). Their suffering actually proves God had not abandoned them. He is correcting them like a good parent. Suffering comes for many reasons; sometimes for no reason. What we should never do is think God has abandoned us. Israel suffered, because God is good. “Where is God when we are hurting?” Hurting too, waiting for us to crawl out of our pits of despair to become warriors. “Yahweh Shalom” (6.24). God is peace. God had not abandoned His people because God is good.
Prayer Challenge: How easy is it for us to blame God and not ourselves? Use Gideon’s example for comfort, that God does not mind an honest conversation about our pain.
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