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You are a warrior // Você é um guerreiro



It always amazes me that no matter how many times I have read the same Bible's story, but every time we read, we learn something new. Just like Gideon's story.

So, there was this time when Israel had no king, and judges were the ones who were putting some order in the place. But, every time the people of Israel disobeyed God, some sort of calamity started happening. That is their story. It doesn’t mean it has to be also yours. It doesn’t mean that every time some starts happening in your life it is because you have kindled the anger of the Lord. Although it might be also.

Anyway, this time was the Midianites. Every year they were coming and destroying the crops, the harvests, and everything the land of Israel had produced. Sometimes we have this kind of problem, a recurrent problem. It comes and destroys, and we start over, and then it all happens all over again, and again! Barely had recovered from the last time, and there it comes again. Very tiring season. So, the Israelites were dealing with them for some time now. And, the people were scared, and they were hiding as much as they could so they would have something to eat during the year.

So, Gideon was there. Doing what he was supposed to do. He was trying to do a job like beat out wheat, however, he wasn’t in a threshing floor, where it is supposed to beat out wheat. He was in a winepress hidden. He was doing a very hard job in an inappropriate place. How many times do we feel that way? Like we are trying so hard to do our job, without realizing that we are in the wrong place, but God really wants us someplace else. We are trying to deal with our problems without counting on God’s providence. We are hiding, or afraid of our problems. Not really facing them. Not really on a battlefield, because we know that we can’t win this one by ourselves. But we are not really sure how we can approach God to help us. We have cried so many times, in so many ways, and no answer.

But what happened to Gideon that day? The angel of the LORD came. He came to meet him, in the middle of the job, in the middle of the problems; in a place where we are supposed to be hidden. God doesn’t care where you are. He comes wherever you are. Especially when we are not expecting. He comes. He looks at us and gives us an encouraging word. He says: ‘The LORD is with you’. (Judges 6:12)
In the right time, the LORD comes and helps us. The LORD expects us to be faithful no matter our circumstances. So, He can come and work with us, in us, and through us. He will not forsake us. He is listening to us.

Hey you, hang in there. The LORD is with you. No matter how afraid you are because Gideon was afraid, he was frightened. Gideon thought about himself as the least of the least. But God is the one who enables us, He gives us capabilities to do the work. He strengthens us, He gives us wisdom, He opens our eyes so we can see clearly.

The LORD is with you. Do you believe in that?
Life can be very difficult sometimes. But believing that He is with us can make a huge difference the way you see the difficulties.

Not always we see ourselves as a warrior, but God sees beyond. 

Sempre me impressiona que não importa quantas vezes eu leio a mesma história da Bíblia, mas toda vez que leio, aprendo algo novo. Como a história de Gideão.

Então, houve essa época em que Israel não tinha rei, e os juízes eram os que estavam colocando alguma ordem no lugar. Mas, toda vez que o povo de Israel desobedecia a Deus, algum tipo de calamidade começava a acontecer. Essa é a história deles. Isso não significa que tem que ser também a sua. Isso não significa que toda vez que alguns começam a acontecer em sua vida é porque você acendeu a ira do Senhor. Embora também pode ser.

Enfim, desta vez foram os Midianitas. Todos os anos eles vinham e destruíam as colheitas, as colheitas e tudo o que a terra de Israel produzia. Às vezes temos esse tipo de problema, um problema recorrente. Ele vem e destrói, e nós começamos de novo, e depois tudo acontece outra vez. Mal se recuperou da última vez, e lá vem de novo. Temporada muito cansativa. Então, os israelitas estavam lidando com eles já há algum tempo. E as pessoas estavam com medo, e eles estavam escondendo o máximo que podiam para que eles tivessem algo para comer durante o ano.

Então, Gideão estava lá. Fazendo o que ele deveria fazer. Ele estava tentando fazer um trabalho como bater o trigo, no entanto, ele não estava em uma eira, onde é suposto para bater o trigo. Ele estava em um lagar escondido. Ele estava fazendo um trabalho muito duro em um lugar inadequado. Quantas vezes nos sentimos assim? Como se estivéssemos nos esforçando tanto para fazer o nosso trabalho, sem perceber que estamos no lugar errado, mas Deus realmente nos quer em outro lugar. Estamos tentando lidar com nossos problemas sem contar com a providência de Deus. Estamos nos escondendo ou com medo de nossos problemas. Não realmente enfrentando eles. Não é realmente um campo de batalha, porque sabemos que não podemos vencer por nós mesmos. Mas não estamos realmente certos de como podemos nos aproximar de Deus para nos ajudar. Nós choramos tantas vezes, de muitas maneiras, e sem resposta.

Mas o que aconteceu com Gideão naquele dia? O anjo do SENHOR veio. Ele veio ao seu encontro, no meio do trabalho, no meio dos problemas; em um lugar onde deveríamos estar escondidos. Deus não se importa onde você está. Ele vem onde quer que você esteja. Especialmente quando não estamos esperando. Ele vem. Ele olha para nós e nos dá uma palavra encorajadora. Ele diz: "O SENHOR está com você". (Juízes 6:12)
Na hora certa, o SENHOR vem e ajuda-nos. O SENHOR espera que sejamos fiéis, não importando nossas circunstâncias. Então, Ele pode vir e trabalhar conosco, em nós e através de nós. Ele não nos abandonará. Ele está nos ouvindo.

Ei você, aguenta aí. O SENHOR está contigo. Não importa o quanto você está com medo, porque Gideão estava com medo, ele estava aterrorizado. Gideão pensou em si mesmo como o menor dos menores. Mas Deus é aquele que nos capacita, Ele nos dá capacidades para fazer o trabalho. Ele nos fortalece, Ele nos dá sabedoria, Ele abre nossos olhos para que possamos ver claramente.

O SENHOR está contigo. Você acredita nisso?
A vida pode ser muito difícil às vezes. Mas acreditar que Ele está conosco pode fazer uma enorme diferença na maneira como você vê as dificuldades.

Nem sempre nos vemos como guerreiros, mas Deus vê além.


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