Tag: Judges

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Don’t Just Thresh Wheat

There’s a story in the old book of Judges where a man named Gideon.  Gideon’s nation was repressed in slavery for over 100 years and on this day he is hiding from his oppressors threshing wheat.  And that’s when he gets a surprise visitor.

12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:12

Or if I can paraphrase I think the angel of the Lord said something like this.

Hey, Gideon, old buddy, don’t you know that you are a mighty warrior? The Lord has promised you great things if you trust him, but you are just hanging out threshing wheat, being normal.  Go, free your land and your people from its oppressors.

And I strongly believe that today, many of us will just thresh wheat, not wanted to be seen, when the Lord has said to us, “I am with you , mighty warrior!, free those around you from their oppressors.”!

 

because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

6 So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

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I Would Like to Congratulate…

… the other person.

How often has that happened to you.  You work, you give your effort, you make something successful and the accolades go to another maybe less deserving person.  It’s frustrating, anger provoking and demoralizing.  However, maybe, just maybe we can examine this in a different light and actually take joy when that happens.

For instance, remember Gideon.  When he was asked by God to save Israel, he responded like this

15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” Judges 6:15

but the Creator of the Universe said in reply to him

“I will be with you.”

It seems God likes to use us when we think we are weak for his glory.  Notice 2 Corinthians:

10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

In our weakness, we are strong.

So, how does this relate to other’s getting the accolades.  I think it’s like this – God uses us in our weakness to show his glory versus the alternative which is that we forsake God and claim that it was all us.

When others are given the praise, remember what you are working for.  Is it bring glory upon your head, or to bring glory to the Lord?  I think I will set out to bring glory to the Lord, becoming nothing in the eyes of men – just a servant of the Creator of the World.

So today, as you enter the battlefield of life, recall Gideon, least in the weakest clan, but made a great warrior when he let God lead him.