Blind Spots. What comes to mind? For most the thought of driving comes to mind. So we check our mirrors, turn our heads to look for those “blind spots.” But we also seem to have some emotional blind spots in our lives, but unlike driving, these we tend to overlook, try to hide, or maybe have buried so deep we just don’t think about them. The reason is that these usually are things we tend to fear.We all have fears in our lives. Things like finances, relationship conflicts, medical issues, even the constant hustle and bustle of life. Now if we are not careful these fears can overwhelm us and control our life choices. They become the first thing on our mind when we wake up, our last thought as we go to sleep.Many stories in the Old Testament reflect these fears of life. The book of Judges relates many times the Israelites were in fear. In the story of Gideon, Israel had abandoned God for false gods for seven years and God had allowed the Midianites to overrule them. The Midianites would come in and take away their harvest and animals. Very much like the animated movie The Bugs’ Life, where the grasshoppers ruled the ants and would come in at take their food.So they were living in fear that the Midianites would come at any time and rob them of their harvest and animals. So we find Gideon thrashing wheat in a wine press. He did this so that he would not be seen and he could hide his wheat. Then the Angel of the Lord sat under a tree, but when He speaks with Gideon, he announces that the “Lord” is with Gideon and calls him a “valiant warrior.” Now he wasn’t acting like a great warrior and there is no indication that he was!This angel reassures Gideon that God is with him, but Gideon is just not buying it as he questions where God is in this time of need (read Judges 6:13). The angel continues to tell Gideon that God is with him, but Gideon sounds a bit like Moses, making excuses. God’s answer is reassuring, “I will be with you.” But Gideon still asks for signs, which God gives.Then he is to assemble an army and 32,000 men come to fight against the army of Midian of 135,000! But God tells him that is ...
