Judges 6:12
“And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, ‘The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!’”
I love the Bible! Its honest accounts of actual events and situations give me great encouragement and hope. Gideon’s story is a prime example. Gideon was a farmer, but his ability to farm was severely hindered by marauding bandits from Midian. For seven long years, these violent robbers swooped down and stole Israel’s crops, leaving the nation frustrated and hungry. But God had a plan. He wanted Gideon and three hundred men to deliver Israel. That’s right—God chose a farmer and a minuscule army to stop their enemy’s reign of terror.
The Angel’s prophetic greeting to Gideon, “You mighty man of valor,” is almost laughable. Gideon was not a mighty man of valor. He’d never led a military campaign, had no record of military service and, as far as we can tell, Gideon hadn’t even been in a fistfight. But the Lord knew what He would accomplish through Gideon and his men. The best part of God’s plan was that Gideon was the most shocked and surprised of all.
If you and I were about to go to war, we’d gather forces equipped with an impressive arsenal and therein would be our downfall. Confidence in human means is never a good thing when confronted with evil.
Can the Lord do something extraordinary with you and me? He can, but apparently, it depends on how weak we are. Are you weak today? Me, too. Let’s look to God to do a great work so that, in the end, we’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Awaiting His Return,
– Pastor Jack
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