The light still defeats the darkness.
Last Sunday, my pastor told Gideon’s story. It’s found in Judges 6-8. It picks up where once again, Israel had turned their backs on God, and once again, tragedy had befallen them. The Midianites were stealing their crops every year and killing their cattle, leaving them to starve.
Once again, when things got bad enough, Israel realized they had been wrong and Israel turned back to God. He heard them and decided to save them.
Does this pattern sound familiar?
He decided to use a man named Gideon. It’s a fascinating story, but Gideon basically did not feel that he was in any way capable of defeating his enemy. God assured him he was because God was with him. Gideon asked for some signs and God gave him every one he asked for.
Finally, Gideon decided that he would comply with God’s plan and he gathered his clan. He began with 32,000 men. God said that was too many and 10,000 were sent home. Then God did another sifting that eventually left Gideon with 300 men.
In the beginning, Gideon was too afraid to even agree. I can’t imagine what he must have thought when 32,000 men dwindled down to 300, but God knew and He wanted to be sure Israel knew that they would not win this battle on their own.
When the time came, the Bible says that the enemy was thick as locusts and the camels could no more be counted than sand on the seashore.
To make the battle even more amazing, God didn’t even send them with swords. He sent them with trumpets and jars with torches in them. When Gideon gave the command, they blew their trumpets and smashed their jars. The light and the power of God, sent the enemy running.
That’s all it took.
God has never required the assistance of mankind to achieve the miraculous. When He does choose to use humanity, it’s rarely thousands of the strongest. No, it’s more often the weakest and most humble and always the obedient, who are willing to trust and step out in faith.
Gideon was afraid, but he trusted God and he was rewarded in a huge way.
We still have the ability to defeat all kinds of evil and darkness with the light of Christ. When we think about all of the things and situations that we fear, and what God may be calling us to do, perhaps we should ask ourselves if it’s a more dire situation than Gideon’s, or David’s, or Elijah’s?
Roman’s 8:15 says, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
We don’t worship a God. We worship The God. The Holy Spirit isn’t a spirit, He’s The Spirit. Because of Jesus, we can call God, Abba, which translates to something like “Daddy.” That makes Him intimate and close to us, with us, not distant and far away.
What more reassurance can we possibly need? Gideon’s story reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂