Being Sent
And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou
shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?
Judges 6:14
Read Judges 6:14-16
The Lord visited Gideon and spoke to him through an angel. He also comes
to you through His written Word. Gideon was given the charge to go forth in
the strength of the Lord and deliver Israel from her enemies. We may question
whether Gideon was really a suitable instrument to perform this great
work; he was discouraged and had little hope of being delivered. He came
from a poor family of the tribe of Manasseh. From his initial response, we
see that he had actually resigned himself to the situation in which he and the
nation found themselves.
The Lord had called Gideon a mighty man of valour (verse 12), yet in verse
fifteen, we see that the Lord did not choose Gideon because he had such notable
personal qualities; He chose Gideon only because of grace. The Lord is
able to use people who seem to have little to offer. This means that the Lord
is also willing to receive you into His service. In His Word, He calls you to
fight against the world, the devil and sin. Perhaps you think this is impossible.
From your viewpoint, it is impossible, but through God’s power all
things are possible.
Is this not a great comfort? You may expect everything from the Lord. He
is willing to give you the strength necessary to fight the fight of faith. The
decisive element is not whether you are faced with your impossibilities, but
whether you believe in God’s Word and rely on it. Gideon was told that the
Lord was going to send him to deliver Israel, but he had difficulty believing
it. By nature we are also unbelieving.
Thought: Unbelief has small thoughts of God.
Psalter 416: 3 (based on Psalm 42)
O my soul, why art thou grieving,
Why disquieted in me?
Hope in God, thy faith retrieving;
Let Him still thy refuge be.
I shall yet extol His grace
For the comfort of His face;
He has ever turned my sorrow
Into gladness on the morrow.
