One point I didn’t have time to make in my sermon about Gideon on Sunday is related to prayer. Say what you will about Gideon’s cowardice, he was fearless about asking God for what he wanted. He asks God for three signs, and God throws in a fourth for free.
Gideon was bolder about prayer than I am. For example, I’m nursing a terrible cold right now. It came on last Thursday. Maybe I’m a wimp when it comes to being sick, but it’s really dragged me down. I don’t like not feeling like myself. I want to feel better. I’m tired of waiting.
Here’s the thing: not once during these past few days have I prayed that God would heal me of this cold. I assume that when I get a cold, the virus must run its course, and God isn’t going to do anything to stop it. But who knows? I still should have prayed about it. Maybe God would at least heal me of my terrible attitude!
Or maybe there’s no “at least”… Maybe my attitude—including my lack of patience and lack of faith—is the main thing that needs to be healed. If I were healed of that, maybe the cold would take care of itself.
I felt a cold coming on the other day, and my faith had really been suffering lately. I had been asking God for a sign, because I really wanted to believe but it was so difficult. So I asked for one really obvious sign. All I wanted was to not get a cold. It worked…it sounds really silly, but it’s just one of those everyday things that have something to do with God, because everything has to do with God. God’s got the power…all it takes is for you to ask for the help.