Devotionals
We all know the story about Moses and the burning bush. We all know God called Moses to save His people, but how many of us remember Gideon? I recently came across something that reminded me of Gideon. I didn't remember the whole story, so I looked it up and read about Gideon. Gideon is found in Judges 6.
Gideon is a lot like Moses. Gideon was minding his own business when the Lord showed up. He was busy trying to keep the Midianites from destroying the wheat that he had been threshing so he could feed his family. How many times does the Lord want to talk to you and you are in the middle of something, usually something really important? That's what Gideon was doing when the Lord decided to talk to him. The Lord starts off by saying to Gideon that He is with him, but Gideon is not so sure. His people is suffering, he hasn't seen the Lord do any miracles that his ancestors had talked about and the Midianites are ruining their life. The Lord's reply is simple. The Lord tells Gideon He will make him strong. Then He tells Gideon to go and save Israel. Just like Moses he argues with the Lord. Gideon reminds the Lord his family is the poorest and in his family he is the least thought of. No one gives much thought to Gideon, but the Lord has chosen him to save His people. Once again the Lord has called the unequipped person to do His will. The Lord tells Gideon He will be with Him all the way. Still Gideon, is not convinced. He asks for miracles to make sure he is hearing him correctly.
In the next few verses we see where Gideon truly finds out he is talking to the Lord. The Lord has surely called upon Gideon to do His work, to save His people. A few verses later we see Gideon is tearing down the altars that was built for the goddess Asherah and building an altar for the Lord. The people who worship the goddess Asherah wasn't really happy and wants to kill Gideon, but the Lord and Gideon's father saves him. Now it is time to do battle, but once again Gideon is not sure. He does two more tests to see if this is truly of the Lord. Once again Gideon finds that sure enough this is truly God calling him to save the Lord's people from the Midianites.
If we continue reading the story of Gideon, we read Gideon is successful. I am once again reminded when the Lord calls you to do something you might as well give in. You can't argue with the Lord. Moses and Gideon both disagreed in the beginning, both times they lost their disagreement, but in the end both men were successful. Then there is Jonah, he argued with God and ended up in the belly of a fish which is not somewhere I'd want to be. We might be in the middle of something when the Lord calls, we might be minding our own business when the Lord calls, but it is in our best interest to stop and listen.
Both Moses and Gideon did not feel they qualified to do the Lord's work. They both had weaknesses, had excuses and probably just didn't want to do it. Yet God chose these men to do some mighty important work. These men who thought they were nobody, the Lord took and made them somebody. When God calls you, you may think you are a nobody, but the Lord knows differently. After God calls you, you may still be a nobody to some people, but to God and to His people you will become successful and be a somebody.
Once again I am reminded that the Lord does not call the equipped, He equips those He calls. Or another way to say it is, He doesn't call the strong, He gives strength to the called. When someone is called to do something, do you often think God has called the wrong person? Do you think you could have been the better choice? God always chooses the best in His eyes, not ours. If you study the Bible you will find many times the Lord does not call the mighty to do His work. He often calls those who are at the bottom, those who are weak, those who are not proud, those who are not well known.
I have had plenty of experiences in this area. There have been many times the Lord has called me to do something that was beyond anything I could ever do on my own. I have only accomplished what the Lord has called me to do because he equipped me to do it. He gave me what I needed to get the job done. I may not be successful in people's eyes, but to God I am a success. I see myself as a success, not because of anything I have done, but because of what God has done through me.
Is the Lord calling you? Are you at the point of disagreeing with Him? Do you think you aren't equipped with the right stuff? Don't worry if God is calling you, He will also equip you. You have two choices, follow Moses and Gideon, or be a Jonah and end up in the belly of a fish. May God bless you as you do the work the Lord has called you to do.
“The Lord gives strength to His people;
the Lord blesses His people with peace”.
Psalm 29:11
“Any one who speaks should speak words form God. Anyone who serves should serve with the strength God gives so that in everything God will be praised through Jesus Christ. Power and glory belong to Him forever and ever”. 1 Peter 4:11
“...for I can do everything God asks me to with the help
of Christ who gives me the strength and power”.
Phillipians 4:13
scriptures are from, “the Living Bible Paraphrased”
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"I have had plenty of experiences in this area." you said near the end of this article and that's something that, whether they'll admit it or not, that is something we as people look for. Someone we can relate to and that's something you do so well. None of us like to read an article written by someone who incessantly condemns us as if they themselves have not done the exact same thing, when we know for a fact that they have or else they wouldn't be able to see it in us so clearly. The way you make yourself so "human" serves your writing well, because in your humanness (is that a word?), we see Him as the perfect, spotless and pure One.
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