Courage

Courage

Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”

Judges 6:14

After forty years of freedom, the children of Israel again began worshipping idols. As a result, the Midianites took over the land of Israel, treating the people poorly. When the Israelites cried out to God, he chose Gideon to help them.

One day when Gideon was threshing wheat, an angel from God visited him and stated, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Gideon responded, “But sir, . . . if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian” (Judges 6:12-13, NIV).

The perspective here is curious. God called Gideon a “mighty warrior,” but Gideon initially saw himself as abandoned. Gideon perceived his clan to be the weakest in Manasseh, and he thought himself to be the least in his family. But God promised Gideon his presence and his strength, and he agreed to Gideon’s request for a sign. After this confirmation, Gideon was willing to serve God, and God used him in incredible and powerful ways to get the Israelites back on track and defeat the Midianites.

Have you ever thought of yourself as weak or abandoned? Being human, we all experience these feelings from time to time. But when we get a glimpse of God, we realize that his presence and his strength are more than enough to accomplish what needs to be done in our part of God’s bigger plan for the world.

Father,

Thanks that you were patient with Gideon’s questions and that you’re patient with ours too. When we feel weak or abandoned, may we gain courage by running to you, getting a glimpse of your power, and realizing your presence and strength in our lives. Amen.