Too Much Strength

 

But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there.”

—Judges 7:4

On several occasions, Joanne and I had talked since she left my school system for another in a neighboring suburb. Things in her new school seemed so ideal.

She reported that she had practically no discipline problems. When she wanted a piece of expensive percussion equipment, the principal went to the administration for her. With very little deliberation, they approved her request. Obviously, they thought nothing of spending thousands of dollars on her program.

Frankly, it was enough to make me a little bit jealous! Why, in my school system, we lived with discipline problems as the “stuff of life.” Money stayed tight all around—so much so, that we wondered from year to year if we would even still keep a music program.

Why does God often call Christians to difficult places? I imagine He has a myriad of reasons. But, for one thing, He wants to show His power in the face of incredible odds.

Some of us can greatly benefit from His daily reminder that we need Him or we won’t make it through. Like He did to Gideon, God sometimes decreases the things that we lean on, so that we will instead lean on Him alone.

God had already taken down the size of Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 10,000. But, God planned to take the army to an even smaller size, leaving Gideon with only 300 men! But, God said, “With the 300 men… I will save you.”

Later in the story, we read that these 300 men pursued the enemy kings and captured them, routing their entire army. God had a plan to show His ability in the face of impossibilities.

If you despair because it appears you can’t possible succeed in the place God has placed you, remember Gideon. Trust God that, in your situation—though it may continue in a way far from ideal—He will show you His wonderful ability to step in and take control on your behalf.