setting out a fleece

I have heard a lot of different opinions voiced from the pulpit and otherwise regarding Gideon and the fleece business. Some commentators have suggested that it illustrated a lack of faith on Gideon's part. God was speaking to him through the physical appearance of an angel. The angel had even brought fire out of a rock. Still Gideon wanted to make sure of what God was saying.
And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said, Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be upon the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand as thou hast said. And it was so; for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water. And Gideon said unto God, let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. And God did so that night; for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground. Judges 6:36-40

Was he just afraid of what God had asked him to do? Was he looking for a way out?
When I mention my firm belief that God is going to give us this farm, the response of most has been "why do you think that?". Even though I have had many confirmations along the way that I believe were God moving us in this direction, it doesn't seem to be enough to convince anyone. I, like Gideon want to be sure of God's plan for our family. We don't want to be deceived in our minds. God says in Romans 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. God does want us to be sure of what he is calling us to.

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatever is not of faith is sin. Romans 14:22-23

We are all called to the same high standards of God's law, but we are each called to live by faith on all the other issues of life. If "whatever is not of faith is sin" then I come before the Lord this day asking that he would "help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24). I ask the Lord to confirm his direction in our lives, if this be his direction, and to wet our fleece. If it be His will that we should move forward with the farm, I humbly ask that he would bring us a buyer for our house. Our house isn't on the market. We have no sign outside and no one knows that we are looking to sell. I ask that even this week he would bring someone into our lives who is interested in buying our house. Our house is under construction, it has a leaky roof, and the housing market stinks. Only God could bring a buyer to our door. So I ask Him to do the impossible, if it so be His will.

After Gideon realised that he had been face to face with the Lord's angel he was afraid. The angel had already disappeared but still God spoke to him "Peace be unto thee: fear not: thou shalt not die. Then Gideon built an alter there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom." (Judges 6:23-24)

Jehovah-shalom; The Lord send peace.