do what???

Judges 6:25-32

"That same night the Lord said to him, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father’s altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering.” 6:25-26

But didn't the Lord just tell Gideon before this that it wasn't his sacrifice he wanted, he just wanted his "yes"? I had to pray through this for a little bit.

Alas, this was just another "yes". Even though it was a sacrifice, it was what the Lord asked him to do. Even when it didn't make sense.

"So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the townspeople, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. In the morning when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! They asked each other, “Who did this?” When they carefully investigated, they were told, “Gideon son of Joash did it.” The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” So because Gideon broke down Baal’s altar, they gave him the name Jerub-Baal that day, saying, “Let Baal contend with him.” 6:27-32

Baal was a pagan god that the Israelites had built an alter before, and were worshiping this false god, rather than the true living God. This tested Gideon's faith and commitment to the Lord. If Gideon was caught doing this, he would face all kinds of troubles and punishment. But, he chose to obey the Lord, regardless of what would happen on the other side of it.

When we start obeying and accomplishing things in the name of the Lord, it is often the people who oppose and criticize us the most, that should be supporting us.

And what was the other side of his obedience? The alter of Baal stayed down, he was, in a way - honored for tearing it down, and nothing happened to him at all!

Several, several weeks ago I was looking for a set of french doors to put on the back of the house. I had taken out a large window unit and wanted to put these doors in that place, which would open up from my bedroom to the screened in porch across the back of the house. I was trying to find a set that matched the other door on the back of the house in the kitchen, which had been given to me.

I went to every home store in Jackson and searched on-line, and couldn't find a matching set. I was to the point of just going ahead and buying a set that didn't match, just to get it over with. I went three times to Lowe's to buy them. Each time I went the Lord told me not to buy them. The Lord literally "shut the doors" for me! The last time I went, I stood there in the aisle at Lowe's and stomped my feet in front of those doors and said something like, "But Jesus - I have the money to buy them! Why are you telling me not to?"

It's funny when we do things like that, isn't it?

With everything else, it has been the exact opposite. The Lord has told me to do something, buy something, hire someone; and I haven't had the money to do it. But, I obeyed, and he provided. Now here I was WITH the money, and He was telling me not to do it. It didn't make any sense.

Weeks went by. Nothing happened. I was frustrated over these doors.

Then, as I was on my search for a new front door to the house, I was in this warehouse of a window and door company, browsing through some sample doors, and I spotted something out of the corner of my eyes, peeking out from behind a stack of windows and doors. I walked over and guess what it was - a set of doors that matched exactly to the other door I had. Just hanging out in there. And guess what - they are now hanging out in my bedroom, waiting to be installed. And, I paid half the price for them that I would have paid for the other doors I was willing to settle for, just for the sake of getting them and having some, that I know I would not have been happy with down the road.

When it didn't make sense for me at the time, I am now so happy that I obeyed the Lord. I get to see the other side of my obedience, and I will every morning when I wake up and look out those doors.

When it didn't make sense for Gideon to do something that a few days before, the Lord told him not to do. He obeyed the Lord and got to see the other side of his obedience too.

One of the boys wrote this on the wall in the house, close to where these doors will be. I told him that every morning when I stand in that spot, I will put my hands on the wall where this was and pray for him.

("For God is my record, how greatly I long after you in all the bowels of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:8)