11-20-2019

Good Morning All,

Judges 6:15; “And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.”

    This was Gideon’s answer to God’s call.  Basically, Gideon said, “I am the bottom of the barrel, the buckest of the buck privates, the peon of peons, the last hired-first fired kind of guy.  There is nothing that I can do to change what is going on.”  There are many times we may feel like this.  Think of the young freshman boy who is practicing football with the seniors of the varsity team; nobody cares what he thinks.  I had a friend who years ago joined the navy.  While in basic training, he failed to salute an officer.  Fortunately for him, the officer had a streak of mercy in him.  So, when my friend told the officer he didn’t know he was supposed to salute him; the officer answered, “son, just salute anyone who walks by; they all outrank you.”  That is the bottom of the power chain and in the worldly way of thinking; it makes sense.  Every action is dependent on having the power to act and when you are the weakest you have no power; so, we do not act.

    So God comes into this situation, and tells Gideon that he is going to deliver Israel.  Gideon is skeptical to say the least; yet that is exactly what God does.  God uses Gideon to accomplish his task and the world marvels, but we should not because this is how God has worked from the beginning.  God takes ordinary things, connects them to his Word and makes them extraordinary.

    All through Scriptures God uses simple and ordinary things to accomplish his tasks and goals.  He used a bush that didn’t burn, rocks for water, quail for food lamps and horns to win battles.  He uses simple, plain water and wine and bread.  Nothing fancy or amazing but when connected with His Word these became (or become) agents of change and salvation.  Simple water connected to God’s Word is a life cleansing, Spirit empowering, forgiveness delivering wash.  Simple wine and simple bread when connected to God’s Word are the faith strengthening, Spirit uplifting, nourishment of the Holy Meal.  Yet God does not stop there.  He doesn’t stop with things; he uses everyday people to do the same.

   Simple shepherds were the first evangelists, Galilean fishermen proclaimed the greatest news ever and did so in the face of tremendous opposition; not on their power but on God’s power.  Power received because they were connected to God’s Word and this same power is given to you and to me.  You may be lowly in the eyes of the world but God’s power, given to us as his children through his Word is greater power than any world leader, or satanic foe, could ever stand against.  We may be small in the world but when connected to God’s Word; we can move mountains.

Father of all mercies, in You do we have strength.  Not my power but your power will move the world.  Lead me to walk according to your grace.  Lead me to always trust in the power of your Word so that your Word will be boldly proclaimed and that in this proclaiming, your healing goes forth.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret