By: Denise Pass © 6/10/14

Judges 7:2

“The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag, “Our own strength has delivered us.”

A deep look of satisfaction crossed my son’s face. The crooked smile said it all; he was proud of the work he had done. “I did it!” he boasted loudly, with a hint of superiority. I marveled at the detail in his building, constructed and sculptured from magnetic pieces. But victory was short-lived, for along came our rowdy dog who thought the newly formed vessel needed to be knocked down. Tears ensued – how brief life’s victories can seem. Certainly delighting in things does not bring lasting joy, nor boasting in our efforts or possessions, for either we tire of them or the thing we treasure is destroyed or fades away. That’s life in a temporal world.

But what if we offer a different scenario – one in which we are asked to do an awe-inspiring deed of which we know we are incapable? Trembling in our boots, even the living God comforting us seems insufficient to calm our souls. That is how Gideon must have felt. He began with 32,000 men, but the Lord told him 300 was enough. To defeat an army. Why? Certainly it makes sense to have as many men as you can – according to human wisdom.

God’s economy is so vastly different than ours. He desires relationship with us and to demonstrate His ability to rescue us. We participate in this endeavor, but He is the One Who enables us throughout. I love how it turned out for Gideon and the Israelites – they played the trumpet and broke a clay pot and victory was theirs! Sometimes it might seem risky and not make sense. Sometimes in this world of craziness, God might call us to do something seemingly odd in our own eyes, but His wisdom confounds the wisdom of this world.

Almighty God, how amazing You are! Thank you for delivering your children and doing the impossible, over and over again! Help us to be obedient and to follow You, even when things don’t make sense.