Step Out in Faith

I was reading an old issue of DevoZine magazine today, and it was talking about faith. Doing the unthinkable. And trusting God will be with you. In order to get the point across, it had a big picture of a shoe, and it said,

"Write the following on your shoe:

MAKE YOUR MARK ON THE WORLD -- STEP OUT IN FAITH

and whenever you are feeling unsure or inconsequential, look at your shoes!"


I really liked the thought of this. You can bet that as soon as I find my sneakers (they're currently MIA. Again) that I will be writing it!

But more importantly, it got me thinking. I've been struggling lately with a fear of doing something new for God. In a few weeks, I will be going on a mission trip. I was excited about it for a loooong time, but now the day is fast approaching -- and I'm scared. I'm scared that I won't know what to do, that I'll mess up, etc, etc.

And it's times like these when I need to be reminded that I'm doing this for GOD -- not for me, or my friends, but for GOD. God is commissioning me -- and if my heart is really in this, if I'm really doing this for His Glory -- He won't let me fail! God is calling me to go out there and do something I've never done before. To make my mark on the world.

And in order to do that, I've got to step out in faith.

It's a scary thing. I don't know what's going to happen and I don't know how it's going to turn out. I don't know if I'll end up changing the world or just doing some minute tasks that don't seem very important at all. I really don't know ANYTHING, except this -- I will step out in faith. I'll trust that God is in this.

Ever heard the story of Gideon? (I highly recommend the Veggietales version, "Gideon: Tuba Warrior". [Thank you Sancho] It's seriously one of my all-time favorite movies).

His story can be found in Judges 6-7. Here's a brief synopsis:

First, a little background info: The Israelites, after they'd (finally) made it to the Promised Land, were beginning to forget about all the wonderful things God had done and reverting back to their old, evil ways. They were giving in to temptations left and right, and God decided to teach them a lesson. He let the Midianites come in and take over the city for quite a few years. Seven, to be exact. And the Midianites made life miserable for the Israelites -- chasing them out of their homes and into caves, trampling and stealing their crops, taking their livestock, etc, etc. You get the idea. So after a while, the Israelites started crying out to God for help. God reminded them why they were being punished, but because He is God, He forgave them. God delievered the Israelites, and He did so through one little guy named Gideon...

One day, Gideon was doing his thing...cutting down wheat in his father's field, maybe whistling a song or two as he worked. Life was pretty good for Gideon, and he was pretty happy. Then, all fo the sudden, an angel appears. Gideon is, as you can probably imagine, pretty surprised by this! But get this -- he believes in the angel. Wow. I know I'd be just a little skeptical, but not Gideon! So anyway, he and the angel are talking and the angel starts telling Gideon that God is proud of him, and that he's found favor in God's eyes (WHOA!! THIS IS PRETTY AMAZING STUFF!). Well, here's where Gideon does get a little skeptical.

"What? That can't be. If God really did "favor" me and my people, then why is he letting these Midianites bully us? We're starting to feel a little abandoned down here...after all. He IS the God who led our ancestors out of Egypt. So why doesn't He do any marvelous works now and save us?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you!" the angel replies. "God is sending you to drive away the Midianites."

Well, let me just tell you -- if I was Gideon, I would have burst into hysterical laugher right here. As it was, Gideon was a little...uh...flabbergasted.

"ME?!?! You must be NUTS! We're the weakest clan around!! I can't POSSIBLY drive out a huge, bullying army like THAT! All I do is cut wheat!!"

"God will be with you," the angel reminds him. "He will deliver you; He will guide you and be your strength."

Well, our friend Gideon is still (understandably), a little skeptical at this point. He decides that he needs a sign, so that he knows that God is really in this. And God gives it to him. So then Gideon decides he needs ANOTHER sign, and God, in His incredible patience, sends that sign to Gideon, too.

Finally, Gideon realizes that God is serious. Gideon praises God and sets about gathering and army. It's a small but might crew; not nearly compareable to the vast Midianite Army, but a decent size. And besides, Gideon reasons, I've got God on my side!!

Well, God says to Gideon, "You've got too many men! I want everyone to know that this is truly and Act of God; let there be no doubt, no chance that the world will think the power is in the army. Weed out your army."

Gideon's a little surprised, but he's learned by now to listen to God, so he cuts his army in half and continues training them. And then God says AGAIN, "You've still got too many people, Gideon!!" Well, Gideon's draw drops ...was God SERIOUS? I mean, really....he hardly had any folks as it was! So Gideon sent some more soldiers home, until he and a few friends (300, to be exact...more or less) were all that was left.

The hour of attack is finally drawing near, and Gideon was getting a little...giddy :) He was nervous, but God was still with him! God encouraged him, and Gideon found the strenght to carry out God's plan.

Even when every single odd was against him, Gideon believed that God would pull him through. He trusted that God would be with him, and that God would use him in His grand plan. Gideon stepped out in faith.

So did David, so did Jonah (after a little coaxing), so did Moses and a million other great Bible heroes...most noteably, so did Jesus... they all trusted that God would use them in His plan, that He would give them the strength and courage and whatever skills they needed to make their mark on the world.