Well, that is how life seems to go around here anyway. Just the other day, my youngest child just had "to finish up" his school project, which he assured me was nearly completed. So the night before it was due, we sat down, and to my horror, I discovered his definition of "nearly finished" meant that he had thought about it... for a few minutes. Mercy, we were up mighty late (and up the next morning awfully early) while he worked and I typed (and fumed). Once or twice he said to me, "You are not being very encouraging." hmm. I wasn't feeling too encouraging either. That's just a microcosm of the past few weeks... well, maybe of the past few years... uh, past few decades. By the way, my daughter just walked into the house, flopped down on the chair, and while munching a chocolate chip cookie (chocolate--the universal antidote for whatever ails you) moaned "I'm never ever going to get sleep. It's just one thing piled on top of another with all this schoolwork, and I'm completely exhausted. I'm going to take a little nap so I don't die." Gee, I can't imagine where she got this tendency to exaggerate. But seriously, isn't that life?
So here's the thing: when I get overwhelmed and exhausted, I tend to grow discouraged. And we all know it, but discouragement truly is one of the enemy's greatest tools. Because when we are tired and down and out, we don't feel like reading our Bible or praying. We don't feel like crying out to God for help and hope, because we're just too wrapped up in our own messes or mundane tasks to take the time and effort to look up rather than around. We think and act based upon our feelings rather than our faith. I had that kind of morning today--overwhelmed, tired, feeling crummy from a summer cold, and therefore, a bit discouraged and disheartened.
But that is exactly how Gideon must have felt! The nation of Midian had been oppressing the Israelites at every turn for over 7 years: stealing, devouring crops, terrorizing, destroying like a hoard of locusts, the book of Judges describes it. Little old Gideon is so terrified and discouraged by this demoralizing state of affairs, that he is hiding like a scared mouse while threshing his wheat. And that's when an angel of the Lord goes to him and tells him, "The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor." (Judges 6:12) By the way, if ever there was a clear example that God sees us not as we are but as we can be, as we might be when He transforms and empowers us, this is it! Gideon is from the dinkiest tribe in Israel, from the dinkiest family and he's the dinkiest of all in his family (his words, sort of, not mine). And he trying to hide while threshing wheat, for pete's sake. And this guy is a "mighty man of valor?" Are you kidding?
Yep. Don't you love it! God loves to use us nobodies, us no-counts, us washed-outs or worn-outs or wrung-outs. Because it's not about what we can do; it's all about what He can do through us. And if good old Gideon is any indication, well, He can do, as my mama used to say, "a gracious plenty." And more... much much infinitely more.
Gideon reminds the angel of how desperately hopeless Israel is and how insignificant and inadequate he is, and then the angel says, "Gosh, you're right. What was I thinking? Forget about it." Nope, while that is what I would have said, that is definitely not what he said. Here's what the Lord said, and mark it down, because these are some fine words for all of us: "Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?" (Judges 6:14) In other words, get going with whatever little you have, with whatever tiny shred of faith and ability you possess, because Almighty, Omnipotent God is the One who sends you. And whoever God employs, He enables and empowers. To counter all of Gideon's continuing objections, the Lord reminds him, "But I will be with you." (v.16)
Lord, I'm tired or discouraged... but God says, "go in this might you have, for I'm sending you and I'm with you." Lord, I'm scared or overwhelmed or uncertain or unable... but the Lord declares "go in this might of yours...do not I send you?... I will be with you." And He sends us. And He goes with us. And He always completes that which He has begun in us. Our job is just to start--to just "go in this might" of ours, no matter how tiny or insignificant. Just take the first step, and trust that He will carry us the rest of the way as we look unto Him.
By the way, Gideon, well, he did pretty well and completely defeated the vast and mighty hoards of Midian with just 300 men! God plus Gideon equals victory. Or maybe I should say, God plus anybody, even the weakest, most worn out, most overwhelmed or most unable, equals victory. Because, really, it's not us plus God... it's just God-- and we go along for the ride and then get to claim the victory! Sounds like a win-win to me! Maybe, just maybe, discouraged and exhausted and overwhelmed might be the best place to be--for when we are weak, then we are strong, because His power is made perfect in our weakness. (2 Cor.12:9-10)
Today, if you are tired, or discouraged, or defeated, look to the One with all power and ask Him to be strong in your weakness and to enable you to go forth in whatever little might you have, confident that He is sending and empowering and enabling you. Stop worrying about your feelings and just start based on your faith, feeble though it might be. It's not about the amount of your faith--it's about the object of your faith--and He is infinitely worthy. The Almighty One is with you, and that's enough. Because He is always more than enough. To our Great God be all the glory forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment