It's funny. I had a blog post I was working on last night. Then, I got up, read my Daily Bread e-mail today...and I started over. :o)
Do you remember the story of Gideon? You remember how Israel had been being attacked and assaulted by the Midianites. Gideon was this unwilling leader that God called and told him to lead an army. He called forth the able men and found that he had some 32,000 men for his army. God looked at it and said: nope! Too many!!
I'm sorry? What did you just say? Did you say that we have too MANY resources to fight this battle? I don't understand. I mean, isn't it easier to find victory with the resources we have? then we can give God the glory and honor that is due to Him....but after we've taken care of the problem??
So, God puts Gideon's men through a series of tests. Things like, are you afraid? Great, go home! Go get a drink from that river and, depending on how you drink...go home!!
Ultimately, they were boiled down to 300 men. The Midianites, on the other hand, were like locusts. Their camels were without number...like the sands of the seashore. While I'm sure there is plenty of poetic license here, it is easy to see that they were outnumbered. In fact, most likely, their original number of 32,000 may have been outnumbered. I don't know because the passage doesn't say, but we can assume this was no easy task.
So, why did God do this? Why did God lead Gideon to be the leader of this army and then widdle it down to almost uselessness? Well, God actually tells us in Judges 7:2. He says to Gideon, "The people with you (32,000) are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying 'My own hand has saved me.'"
Is that sobering? It should be. Let's take an honest evaluation. As Christians, how many times have we asked God for help and then, after we did all the work, we did not praise Him for providing? We simply moved on with our lives. Why? Because WE did it!!!
...and so, I am reminded today that God told Paul that "My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in your weakness." See, when we can't do it, when we can't explain it, and when we can't take credit for it: that is when we are the best at remembering to praise and glorify God. Sure, we intellectually know that everything we have (talents, strength, health, etc.) is from God. Yet, we want to take ownership of that so when we accomplish something mundane....it's just life. nothing special, nothing spectacular.
HELLO!!!! The fact that we are breathing and held together is a daily and hourly miracle!
To end: where are you feeling frustrated? Frustrated because you are out of control or not in control. Frustrated because you can't afford something that is not an option. Frustrated because you are being overlooked or undervalued. Frustrated because you can't break one habit or form another?
Our weakness is a shining opportunity for us to do what we should be doing everyday. To go to God and beg Him to be in charge in an area (or areas) where He can be the only one that we glory in because there is NO doubt who has done the great work!!!
To God be the glory!!
Do you remember the story of Gideon? You remember how Israel had been being attacked and assaulted by the Midianites. Gideon was this unwilling leader that God called and told him to lead an army. He called forth the able men and found that he had some 32,000 men for his army. God looked at it and said: nope! Too many!!
I'm sorry? What did you just say? Did you say that we have too MANY resources to fight this battle? I don't understand. I mean, isn't it easier to find victory with the resources we have? then we can give God the glory and honor that is due to Him....but after we've taken care of the problem??
So, God puts Gideon's men through a series of tests. Things like, are you afraid? Great, go home! Go get a drink from that river and, depending on how you drink...go home!!
Ultimately, they were boiled down to 300 men. The Midianites, on the other hand, were like locusts. Their camels were without number...like the sands of the seashore. While I'm sure there is plenty of poetic license here, it is easy to see that they were outnumbered. In fact, most likely, their original number of 32,000 may have been outnumbered. I don't know because the passage doesn't say, but we can assume this was no easy task.
So, why did God do this? Why did God lead Gideon to be the leader of this army and then widdle it down to almost uselessness? Well, God actually tells us in Judges 7:2. He says to Gideon, "The people with you (32,000) are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying 'My own hand has saved me.'"
Is that sobering? It should be. Let's take an honest evaluation. As Christians, how many times have we asked God for help and then, after we did all the work, we did not praise Him for providing? We simply moved on with our lives. Why? Because WE did it!!!
...and so, I am reminded today that God told Paul that "My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in your weakness." See, when we can't do it, when we can't explain it, and when we can't take credit for it: that is when we are the best at remembering to praise and glorify God. Sure, we intellectually know that everything we have (talents, strength, health, etc.) is from God. Yet, we want to take ownership of that so when we accomplish something mundane....it's just life. nothing special, nothing spectacular.
HELLO!!!! The fact that we are breathing and held together is a daily and hourly miracle!
To end: where are you feeling frustrated? Frustrated because you are out of control or not in control. Frustrated because you can't afford something that is not an option. Frustrated because you are being overlooked or undervalued. Frustrated because you can't break one habit or form another?
Our weakness is a shining opportunity for us to do what we should be doing everyday. To go to God and beg Him to be in charge in an area (or areas) where He can be the only one that we glory in because there is NO doubt who has done the great work!!!
To God be the glory!!
