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Scripture for the day: Judges 6:12-14 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” 13 Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” 14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”
Thought for the day: I love the story of Gideon. I go back to it over and over, perhaps because the story of this humble farmer who lived in fear of the day he would lose what little bit he still had in his possession, is too often the story of us all; of me. I love this story because Gideon so clearly shows us what can happen when you choose to forget how poor, how untalented, how weak, confused and defeated you are and focus rather on the power of the God you serve.
Gideon had every reason in the world to feel defeated. He didn’t just think the Midianites were against him; they really were. He didn’t just think he had no strength to fight the enemies of his people; he really didn’t have the strength. He wasn’t smart enough, rich enough, or powerful enough. He couldn’t even claim political influence; he was part of the smallest and weakest family in all of Israel. So, why did Go choose Gideon? Because he had the one thing that could turn defeat into victory – he had faith. Granted, even his tiny faith had to be confirmed as real before he could muster enough courage to carry out God’s plan of deliverance, but carry it out he did.
God said, “Gideon, what do you have there?”
“Just a tiny bit of faith, Lord.”
“It’s enough. Go and deliver your country from the Midianites.”
There was a shepherd boy who was called upon to fight the menace of the Philistines. God said, "David, what do you have there?"
"Just a sling, Lord."
"It's enough. Go and face your giant."
There was a young man who stood and looked out at a vast army arrayed against the people of God. God said, "Jonathan, what do you have there?"
"Just a single sword, Lord."
It's enough. Go and face the enemies of the Lord." And he went out and the armies around them were defeated.
There was a small child sitting on a hillside, surrounded by as many as 15,000 hungry people. God said, "What do you have there?"
"Just five small pieces of bread and a couple fish."
"It's enough. Go and feed the hungry."
There was a man confined to prison for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. God said, "John, what do you have there?"
"Just a pen, Lord."
"It's enough. Write as I inspire you." And Pilgrim's Progress erupted from the heart and pen of John Bunyan, destined to inspire and challenge countless thousands who have read it.
"What do you have there," asks the Lord of each of us.
"Just a _________________________," we reply, believing in the insignificance of what we possess; some talent, time or treasure.
"It's enough. Go and fulfill the calling I've given you." Don't ever underestimate the ability of our God to use whatever you lay before him to accomplish that for which it and you were intended.
Now go take on your world. - Bill