Commencement at Home
View daily reading plan: Judges 6.25-27
Gideon’s work for God commenced in his home area. It was the same with Samson; ‘theSpirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan’, his home territory (Judg 13v25). In Nehemiah’s time, the priests repaired the walls of Jerusalem, ‘every one over against his house’ (Neh 3v28): where they lived, there they laboured. The Lord Jesus said to the man of Gadara, ‘Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee’ (Mk 5v19). We cannot think of serving God at a distance if we are not first being diligent in our own assembly and locality.
Gideon was instructed by God to strike a blow against idolatry in his own household. His father was a devotee of Baal, but he was being called upon to defy the family tradition, and re-establish the worship of Jehovah. Sometimes faithfulness to God and His word will involve abandoning unspiritual and unscriptural family traditions; that will take courage.
It seems that Gideon’s courage won over his father (v31), so be encouraged; taking a stand can be an influence for good and have an impact on others.
Tuesday, 18 June, 2024