Voice of Truth

And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor." (Judges 6:12)


Here’s a man who was alone beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. His people would plant crops only to have invaders come like locusts and steal the harvest. Gideon and the Israelites had lost hope that God would save them. They were reduced to hiding in caves to avoid detection. These were God’s chosen people who had not obeyed His voice (vs 10). But God, rich in mercy, called Gideon out through an angel of the Lord. He used Gideon to save His people.

When God’s voice first calls out to a man, it sounds foreign and misplaced. To be called a “man of valor” while hiding away in fear and hopelessness sounds foolish. Yet we know that God sees the heart and the finished product of a person long before the work is completed. A person caught in repetitive sin can only see their failures, not their future. They have lived in disobedience, fear and shame for so long, they lose hope that God is willing to intervene. For Gideon and his people, God was willing to use a willing soldier to restore order and righteousness. For those caught in sin, He is willing to restore if we are willing to surrender. Gideon had to surrender his fear and doubt. We must do the same.

The Casting Crown’s song says that “the voice of Truth tells me a different story.” God’s voice in our lives comes in many forms. We hear Him through the Word, fellow believers, prayer and circumstances. His voice is Truth. It is the sound to follow in the darkness until we can begin to see light in our tribulations. Hear it, believe it, trust it, live it! As we follow this path, we become the person He called us to be…even a might man of valor who saves his people. Who has God called you to be?