READING: Judges 6:1-7:23, Luke 11:14-36
It seems like the whole story of Gideon is about weakness. God called him to go against the Midianites who had oppressed the Israelites, but Gideon was certain he was not the man: “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s family” (Judg 6:15). Nothing about his family heritage or his personal status suggested he would be the one to deliver Israel. God, though, convinced him otherwise, even in the midst of Gideon’s faith struggle that demanded signs to prove God’s plan to him.
Then, God stepped in when Gideon’s army was ready to go into battle. Their problem was that they were far too large to go into battle: “The Lord said to Gideon,‘You have too many troops for me to hand the Midianites over to them, or else Israel might elevate themselves over me and say, ‘My own strength saved me’” (Judg 7:2). These military forces were, it seems, too strong to go into battle, for they would take the glory if they indeed won the conflict. Instead, God reduced them from 32,000 warriors to 300—andthen they were ready to fight. If they won then, it would be clear that God alone granted them the victory.
Perhaps we, too, are sometimes too strong for God to use us. Maybe we, too, need God to reduce us at times so He alone gets the glory.
PRAYER: “God, make me weak if needed.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Judges 7:24-9:57, Luke 11:37-12:7
