The importance of answering that call to action.

Many times as Christians, we feel an unexplainable call to action toward a certain task. God can give us this feeling through His Word, another Believer, Christian music, art or literature, or sometimes simply through the Holy Spirit’s moving within our hearts.

Once we recognize that there is something that God desires of us, how will we respond? How should we respond? How do we often respond?

Let’s be honest, too often we’re reluctant. We have an inner discussion with God on whether or not the task is really His calling or just an idea we came up with accidentally. We may even ask for God to provide an even stronger sign, like speaking to us audibly. Perhaps, sending an angel to give us the message? Maybe even flying down a dove with a message in its beak? (I think you get my point.)

Consider the reluctant judge.

Check out Judges, chapter six. And for a moment, consider a reluctant judge named Gideon. Starting in verse 11, we read how Gideon reacts to being called to action by God.

“The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son 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)

“‘But sir,’ Gideon replied, ‘if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.’ The LORD turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’ ^‘But Lord ,’ Gideon asked, ‘how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’” (6:13-15)

^“The LORD answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.’ Gideon replied, ‘If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.’ And the LORD said, ‘I will wait until you return.’” (6:16-18)

^“Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And Gideon did so. With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared.” (6:19-21)

^“When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, ‘Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!’ But the LORD said to him, ‘Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.’ So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.” (6:22-24)

Gideon gave God a bunch of excuses!

He explained to God why he wasn’t the right guy for the job. He required proof that the messenger was in fact, an angel. We might shake our heads in disbelief, but would we have acted any different?

Whether in Gideon’s day or in our current culture, human nature remains the same. We desire a safe life with no surprises. Fortunately for us, God loves us enough to bring us into His adventure, testing us and stretching us along the way.

The challenge for this week is this:

When you’re called to action this week, force yourself to jump right in! Choose to embrace the message immediately, whether it comes from Scripture, a friend, the lyrics in a song, or directly from the Holy Spirit’s prompting.

Then make your move! Act on that call wholeheartedly, without any question or request for proof. Watch God work through your faithfulness and obedience!