52 Weeks of ForwardSample

What Is God Calling You?

By Pastor Dawson Oquist

"Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." Judges 6:11-12 (NIV)

Gideon, the hero of this story, is found hiding from the enemies of Israel. Using a winepress to thresh wheat is covert but highly tedious. He is, by his own admission, the lowest member of the lowest family of his clan. How can this man be called a mighty warrior? This man’s actions suggest he is anything but a mighty warrior, yet that is how the angel of the Lord addresses him.

We tend to see things differently from how God sees them. Where we see weakness, God sees opportunity; where we see failure, God sees growth potential; where we see despair, God sees hope. Likewise, God doesn’t look at us the way we look at ourselves. When He sees us, He doesn’t see our paycheck, family, business, or career; He sees who we can become in Him.

God invites us into His presence. Here, we discover our true identity. God called Gideon a mighty warrior even though he was fearful, reluctant, and wrestled with low self-esteem. Nothing in his resume said he was qualified for such a title, but God saw more. Because of God and His presence, Gideon saved the Israelites from oppression and became what God was calling Him: a mighty warrior.

MOVING FORWARD

Lean into the presence of God and listen to what God is calling you. He may call you further and higher than you ever thought possible. Submit yourself to His power and presence, and find out!