PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Judges 5-6
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Go in the strength you have and save Israel.” (Judges 6:14)
God sends unlikely heroes to save the people:
A female judge and Jael the housewife, in a time when men ruled.
The youngest child in the weakest clan of Israel (6:15).
What strength did these weak heroes have?
“Am I not sending you… I will be with you!” (Judges 6:14,16)
Again and again God shows up in weakness to overcome the strong.
These are anticipations of how God will show up in Jesus.
Jesus does not win through physical or military strength.
The only strength he has is his character and devotion to God.
The Jesus Way – humility, grace, love – seems weak, but it is strong.
Jesus comes into this world like a tiny light against great darkness.
And yet he is “like the sun when it rises in strength” (Judges 5:31)
We can also go in the strength we have in Jesus, weak as that seems.
Do we trust God’s strength, or do we rely on our own strength?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to trust that your way, which seems so weak, is all the strength I need to overcome the darkness in this world. Help me to go in the strength of your love.
“The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord…they cried out to the Lord for help.” I repeating frame. And God sent Judges – we just read about Deborah and now Gideon comes to the forefront. Note how he considers his status: “I am the least in my family.” Also note the degree of contamination/infiltration of foreign practices – his father has a temple to Baal and an Asherah pole – which is one of the first things God has Gideon destroy. How patient is our God! Again God takes a weak person and uses that person to meet our judgement to rescue His people – even though they don’t deserve it. Lord, continue to discipline me so that I too may cast out the other distractions in my life that keep me from being fully devoted to you!! Especially in humble ways – use me!
Once again I am reminded that the Lord God uses people His wonders to perform. Not those strong and mighty but those like Gideon whose ‘clan is the weakest in Manasseh.’ People who consider themselves the least His wonders to perform – getting the people to return to the Lord. His ambassadors. His followers. Like His disciples. They all go forward in His power and in His strength for the joy of our Lord God is our strength to do His will.
1 God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
and rides upon the storm.
2 Deep in unfathomable mines
of never-failing skill;
He treasures up His bright designs,
and works His sov’reign will.
3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
the clouds ye so much dread
are big with mercy and shall break
in blessings on your head.
4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
but trust Him for His grace;
behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
5 His purposes will ripen fast,
unfolding every hour;
the bud may have a bitter taste,
but sweet will be the flow’r.
6 Blind unbelief is sure to err,
and scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
and He will make it plain.