April 2nd

Judges 7:1-9:21

We continued and finished the story of Gideon, the next judge of Israel, who was used of God to break the power of the Midianites, and he did it with only 300 men. Gideon is another example of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things simply because he obeyed the Lord. As a result, the land of Israel had peace for forty years.

However, as soon as Gideon died, the Israelites returned to their old ways, that of worshiping Baal and other false gods. “They forgot the Lord their God who had rescued them from all their enemies...; nor did they show any loyalty to Gideon’s family, despite all the good he had done for Israel” (8:34, 35). As a result, one of Gideon’s sons, Abimelech, rose to power, killed his 70 half-brothers, and enslaved the people.

I am always inspired by the story of Gideon, perhaps because I can easily identify with him. Here was an average guy with no special skills or outstanding abilities, and he recognized his own insignificance in the world. In fact, when approached by the angel of the Lord to deliver Israel from its oppressors, he responded by saying, “How can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family” (6:15).

Gideon was one of those who doubted his own abilities but who would, eventually, trust in God’s. He also second guessed the Lord’s call on his life. At first, he did God’s work in secret (6:27). He laid out his fleece twice to confirm God’s leading (6:36-40), and he even eavesdropped on conversations to bolster his confidence (7:13-15). But, what he did, and what you and I can do as well, was follow the Lord one step at a time. Doing so strengthened Gideon’s faith, and, in time, the Lord used him to do great things for His people.

Daily Reflection

Why does God call and use the feeble, the few, or the faithless — people like you and me — to do His work?

One reason why God uses the feeble, the few, and the faithless is so that He might receive the glory. When He whittled Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300, He did so that the people would not boast in their own strength (7:2). He uses the weak to undermine the strong; He uses the foolish to confound the wise, and He uses the inadequate and underwhelming to overthrow the seemingly invincible.

Though Gideon had a low view of himself, did you notice how the Lord viewed him? The angel called him, “Mighty hero!” He called him this not because of anything Gideon had done or would do, but because “the Lord was with him.”

Thank God that He is patient with your fears and hesitancy. Praise Him for using you despite your sins and shortcomings. You, like Gideon, can do great and mighty things when you trust God’s leadership in your life.

Anyone who has the Lord with him is mighty; and, anyone who acts on His behalf is a hero. While self-confidence is often misplaced, faith in the God of heaven is never misplaced. In the words of Gideon (7:15), “Get up, warrior! For the Lord has given you the victory!”

BiAY.org | Day 92 — 273 Days to Go