Funny how we know who to quickly recommend someone to do a very challenging job, but have so much doubt in ourselves to possibly accomplish that job! This is probably one of the things that Christian leaders find most difficult to do in God’s work, because they look inward at their abilities, instead of upward to the King who now has been given control of their abilities. Perhaps this Scripture may help us as we look at God’s encounter with Gideon!

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2021-09-15
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BY: Ed Algreen

SCRIPTURE FROM: Judges 6:14-16
TRANSLATION: Good News Translation (GNT)

BIBLE TEXT: 14 Then the Lord ordered him, “Go with all your great strength and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I myself am sending you.”  15 Gideon replied, “But Lord, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least important member of my family.”  16 The Lord answered, “You can do it because I will help you. You will crush the Midianites as easily as if they were only one man.”

APPLICATION: I am just humble enough to believe that God is magnified in and through us when we realize that we cannot perform a job without His wisdom, power and direction. I have a few examples that I could mention, because after seeking God’s direction, I have accepted jobs in ministry for which I had not been trained, and I believe that God used my presence to accomplish His blessing and His mission to His people. Perhaps some of my readers/listeners may think of similar circumstances in your life. Let’s always remember to celebrate this awesome privilege afforded to simple old us, by the Creator of the universe. I wish you would take a few extra minutes to click on the Scripture reference above, as that will present you with the context of these verses that we are looking at. But in a nutshell, Gideon saw that things were not going the way he thought God intended, because of all that He promised to his ancestors. For there was promise of a happy and successful life in countries they would take possession of and own west of the Jordan River. Instead Gideon saw disobedience; worshipping idols; envy and crimes that were not becoming of a happy or a godly nation. In fact, Gideon was questioning whether the God who parted the waters for his ancestors and provided food and water for them while out in the desert, had not forgotten their successors and was still alive and well. Gideon was just not seeing God at work among his people. However, in the middle of all this doubt, and all the accusations, and to his terrifying surprise, God called on Gideon to be the leader in restoring his country back to a right relationship with the same God who provided for their ancestors. Just like you or I might have the same doubt about accepting such a challenge from God, Gideon was also beyond the scope of believing that God would possibly call on an insignificant person from a family, who was part of the smallest clan in the Manasseh tribe. Think about your excuses you would have for God! Perhaps your family lives out in the country and quite often both your parents ever make it out to church at the same time; perhaps you are one of the only boys who never went to college; compared to some very influencing young men you met in your church who could easily handle a challenge from God. Isn’t it interesting how God tends to choose people like this? Moses couldn’t speak clearly, yet God chose him to lead millions of people, very difficult people, across a desert without sufficient supplies to house and feed them for 40 years. Shouldn’t Gideon, and shouldn’t we think about quickly conceding to God’s demand on us to do His work, knowing that He will be at the helm and He will command the results, so that His people might make the right decisions for His glory? Friends, God is looking for our availability, not at our abilities, for it is He who will accomplish the work. Have you asked Him yet what He would like to do through you if you made yourself available to your church leadership? Are you tired of complaining to him about the difficult and unsaved people at your workplace and stand ready to let Him have His way in and through you on the job? I implore you to make yourself available to God, and be willing to do the work that He may call you to do. His kingdom may become richer as a result of all that God can do through humble folk like Gideon, you and I.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God looks for our availability, not our abilities. For it is He who will complete His work through us!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank You for saving my soul, and thank You for all that You have accomplished because of me making myself available to You. Lord, there is still much to be accomplished and I have faith to believe that You have not given up on Your church nor Your people. Please continue to work miracles among our families, our friends, our churches, and in the lives of all that You know who need a touch from You. Oh that this may be the day of salvation for many today! AMEN!