Judges 7:2 - The Lord said
to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or
Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’
God had called Gideon to lead Israel out of captivity…but
before he went into battle God had a very important lesson to teach him about
his power to use him in great weakness. He
took 30,000 men with him to fight…but God weeded out 27,000 of them. He wanted Israel to know that their God was
the winning factor in the battle…so none of them could boast in their own
strength.
There are many scriptures that explain God’s reasoning for
this….one of my favorites in 2 Corinthians 12:9. Paul understood the power of God so well that
he boasted about how God overcame in weaknesses with these great words…. “But
he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made
perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my
weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”
In able for God to truly use us…we have to empty ourselves
out of our own power. That was one of
the things Christ had to do on that cross.
He had the power within himself to save himself…but he gave that power
over to God…so that a greater power could win victory over the power of sin in
our lives. If we learn to do the same…to give over any strength we think we
have over our lives to God…and allow him to use the weakest things about us to
show his power…there will never be any question that what was accomplished was
from him.
It sure gives this old woman….weak in more than one way…a
big boost in confidence this morning. It fuels a passion deep inside me…to keep
searching for God’s will… so he can use me … even in ways that I was never
trained. When I allow him control over
my weaknesses…he can use them in supernatural ways that the world can only assume
was truly God at work within me.
Thank you father for the reminder that you use my weaknesses
for your glory even better than the strengths you have created me with. Forgive
me for the times that I let my feelings of weakness stop me from being
obedient. Help me to overcome any
feelings of inadequacy with the thought that you can use these weaknesses to do
great and mighty things to spread your gospel. Help me to embrace my weaknesses…so
you can fill that weakness with a dose of your grace… and help me be my best
versio of who you created me to be.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment