FAILURE IN SUCCESS

Judges 8:22-35

At the moment of Israel's triumph, Gideon stumbled. He told the people, "I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder." The Israelites took the gold from the bodies of the dead enemies and Gideon melted it and fashioned it into an idol. The Bible calls this idol an ephod, a word that refers to a ceremonial breastplate. Gideon probably depicted the Lord God as a warrior with an ephod of gold, of which could have easily been mistaken for himself.

Either way, God does not allow Himself to be represented by an idol. This idol was an offense against God and a trap for the people. After Gideon's death, the Israelites again worshiped the pagan god Baal. They forgot the Lord God who rescued them from their enemies.

The story of Gideon has a great beginning, but a tragic ending. This is an instructive lesson for us all. As the apostle Paul tells us, "If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (1 Cor. 10:12).

If we fail the Success Test we must go back to God. We can ask Him to help us learn the lessons of our failure in success and to strengthen us for another effort. The God of second chances is able to accomplish His purpose through us even if we have failed Him many times before.