This week we are taking a break from our regular schedule in the A.M. group to learn about Gideon (due to scheduling conflicts with World Series game 6 for our Women Unplugged PM group). Gideon's story can be found in Judges 6-8, and begins with him in a losing situation. Anytime you find yourself threshing wheat in a winepress you know it's not good and Gideon was in a desperate place taking desperate measures because he feared the Midianites. The good news is that God wasn't surprised by Gideon's mess and He's not surprised by ours either. In fact, God appeared to Gideon and God calls him a "mighty man of valor" at a moment when Gideon was anything but, and he does the same in our lives. When we are in Christ, God calls us, "a royal priesthood", "masterpiece", "righteous", "more than a conquerors", "heirs" when we are still our messy, sinful selves. Gideon had an encounter with God and Gideon's perspective changed. God offers us opportunities to encounter Him through Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He will change our lives from the inside out, one "wheat threshing in a wine press" situation at a time.
Next week we will jump back into "The Story We Find Ourselves In" and look at the life of Joshua. Until then...Go Royals!
Jena M.
