This post is Day 18 in a series of studies about “Surprises”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Surprises – Day 18

Many sermons have been preached on why God would choose those who lapped the water with their tongues as a dog laps, and not the others. Were those who knelt not in a position of readiness to fight at any moment? Suffice it to say that God chose the army.

Judges 7:5-6

Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps, from those who kneel down to drink.”

The Thought

We are looking at one more surprise for our warrior today although the whole of his story is full of surprises from The Lord. There is a whole month study about Gideon that you can find here.

At least by this time in our story Gideon is hearing and obeying without question! More or less! Gideon, the scared farmer (Judges 6:11) has become Gideon the leader of a huge army (Judges 7:2-3). But not a very confident army, so God had him send the scared ones home. (Judges 7:3) Then came this strange way of sorting the rest.

Many sermons have been preached on why God chose those who lapped the water with their tongues as a dog laps, and not the others. Were those who knelt not in a position of readiness to fight at any moment? We don’t have a clear answer, suffice it to say that God chose the army. A small army! And they won!

What constantly surprises me in this whole episode is that Gideon had very clear conversations with The Lord. He heard clearly, understood and obeyed what God said to him very quickly. Many of us long for that sort of spiritual hearing.

Action

Pray today for an improvement in your hearing and obedience to the Lord’s instruction. Is He asking you to join in the fight for our world which often seems to be more and more in the hands of satan?

Read the full chapter of Judges 7 and rejoice that Gideon, who hid from everything and everybody in Judges 6 was now the leader of a huge army. What The Lord did for this timid youngest son, He can do for you and me. Dare to ask Him what He wants you to do for Him today.

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