Good morning!
Text: Judges 7-9; Psalm 70
The story of Gideon is rich with lessons about our God and how He uses those who trust Him. When Gideon is called to raise up an army to liberate Israel from Midianite oppression, 32,000 men respond. That is a sizable force. But God directed Gideon to winnow that force down, and by the time the Lord was done, only 300 men remained (see Judges 7:1-9). Why did God do this?
The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ (Judges 7:2)
For the Lord to get all the glory (He did, they were victorious), the size of the army had to be small. In our lives, the Lord’s greatest feats often accompany our greatest weakness. When we are broke, sick, depressed, alone or afraid – when we feel like we are least up to a challenge – that is when the Lord can really shine. When we succeed without an earthly reason, God’s power and presence are on display. So, when we see our strength, wealth, health and companions slipping away, it just may be that a great victory in the Lord is at hand.
in Him, Mike