Friday, February 27, 2009

Decision Making By the Book, Part 5 of 20

TEXT: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2 NKJV).

IDEA: Can I depend on God to give me a sign of His will?

PURPOSE: Don't fleece yourself by carelessly applying Gideon's case to your decisions.

Perhaps the most misused Bible passage is the account of Gideon's fleece. The story begins with the Lord's appearance to Gideon, commissioning him to lead Israel's rebellion against the conquering Midianites. Gideon is overwhelmed: "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised—look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said" (Judges 6:36).

Sure enough, that's what happened. Gideon arises early the next day, squeezes the fleece and wrings out the dew, yielding a bowlful of water.

Not wanting to rush to any uncertain conclusions. Gideon decides a second test is in order: "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew" (Judges 6:39-40).

That night God does so. Only the fleece is dry; all the ground is covered with dew.

The experiences Gideon had with the fleece were truly amazing. For the fleece to be soaking wet while the ground was dry is nothing short of miraculous. And for the fleece to be dry when the ground was wet is equally astounding. Based on that incident in the Old Testament, many Christians try to determine God's will by "putting out a fleece." Usually what they do has little to do with Gideon's test.

The first winter I was at Denver Seminary, one of the students was chatting with me about the Christmas break. She told me she was thinking about going skiing, but she was seeking the mind of God as to whether or not she ought to go. I asked her how she expected to determine God's will on the matter. Very matter-of-factly she said, ''Well, I put out a fleece. If my daddy sends me some money, then I'll know that skiing is something God wants me to do." I thought for a moment, and asked her, "Does your father send you money very often?" "Oh, yes," she said, "about three or four times a year. I haven't asked him for any money lately, and I figure if he sends me money, I'll know God wants me to go skiing."

I appreciated her faith and her willingness to submit even the mundane decisions of her life to the guidance of God. But I thought she was undervaluing Gideon's experiences with the fleece. "Look," I asked her, "if you're really going to put out a fleece, why not a good one? After all, if you go skiing and you're not in God's will, you might break your neck. Why don't you pray that the President will send you a letter, and in that letter there will be a check that will give you enough to go skiing? And if you're really going to follow Gideon's example to the limit, pray that you get a second letter and a check from Britain's Prime Minister the next day. When you get both checks back to back, you can be assured that God wants you to go skiing. That's the type of miraculous sign that Gideon wanted from God. His odds weren't 70-30: he was asking for two miracles, and he got them both!"

If we carelessly apply Gideon's case to our decisions, we are only fleecing ourselves—and we may be keeping ourselves from following God's will when He has given it to us in a much clearer form.