{"id":7018,"date":"2024-02-13T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T00:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drbobewell.com\/?p=7018"},"modified":"2024-02-02T11:09:12","modified_gmt":"2024-02-02T18:09:12","slug":"the-reluctant-adventurers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drbobewell.com\/?p=7018","title":{"rendered":"The Reluctant Adventurers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We’re in Judges, and Judge #5 is Gideon, fairly well known for the fleece and for initiating a battle with only 300 warriors. His story is in Judges 6 – 8<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am forever grateful to our pastor, Dr. Dave Jordan-Irwin, for putting me on to the opening of The Hobbit<\/a>. I used it as the introduction to my first book Join the Adventure<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In The Hobbit<\/strong> by J. R. R. Tolkien, prequel to Lord of the Rings<\/strong>, Gandalf, the wizard, approaches Bilbo Baggins:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gandalf: I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it\u2019s very difficult to find anyone.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bilbo: I should think so\u2014in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can\u2019t think what anybody sees in them \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is remarkably similar to a conversation recorded in the Bible: an angel appears out of nowhere and challenges Gideon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, \u201cThe LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Gideon said to him, \u201cPlease, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, \u2018Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?\u2019 But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the LORD turned to him and said, \u201cGo in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?\u201d   (Judges 6.12 \u2013 14)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bilbo and Gideon both said, “Who, me?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God calls Gideon, the reluctant and fearful, to a great adventure to “save Israel from the hand of Midian.” Gideon doesn’t want to go despite four supernatural signs, which you can read about in my blog Gideon the Fearful<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fearful or not, he acts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n