Right when we feel as if our life is in a place to bring honor to God, He will take us still further! We like to glorify God, but safely! We are fully prepared to win easy battles for God from safe distances. We take small risks. We take furtive steps. But then God goes far beyond what we would have ever dreamed!
Gideon was taking a huge risk by taking on an army that had terrorized his nation for seven years. His initial army of 32,000 men, though not huge, was at least respectable. But God had removed 22,000 of them! Interestingly, we do not hear of Gideon complaining. Apparently having had God confirm His word through the fleece, we do not hear of Gideon questioning God again, even when he is told to make some highly unusual decisions.
But as if it was not enough to reduce his army from 32,000 to 10,000, God declared that Gideon still had too many soldiers! Facing odds of over 10-1 as it was, Gideon might have begged to differ! Gideon might have announced that, “enough was enough!” But he did not. When God further reduced Gideon’s resources, Gideon complied. By this time he must have realized that when you do things God’s way, you ultimately experience a miracle.