Gideon

March 31

Judges 6:1, 11-22

God chooses a brave man

The Israelites had forgotten all that God had done for them: how He had brought them out of slavery in Egypt.

Life had settled down, and the people now lived comfortably and peacefully in the land God had promised them. They no longer depended on God and they even started worshiping the gods of the heathen people living in the land! The Lord did not want them to become like the other nations. He wanted His chosen people to be separate and devoted to Him. So God allowed the people of Midian to rule over the Israelites.

One day, the angel of the Lord came to Gideon while he was secretly threshing wheat (Gideon was afraid the Midianites would find him). The angel said to him, “The Lord is with you, brave and mighty man. Go with your great strength and rescue Israel from the Midianites!”

Does God only choose special people to do important tasks?

Don’t you hate it when teams are being chosen from a whole bunch of kids, and the leaders start choosing the strongest, fastest or cleverest kids? The last few stand around and wait, hoping that they will be the next to be chosen; and the longer they wait, the more embarrassing it becomes.

Isn’t it great to know that God doesn’t choose us that way? God looks at our hearts! Even Gideon couldn’t believe that the Lord actually wanted to use him, and he asked the Lord, “How can I rescue Israel? My family is the weakest in the tribe and I am the least important in my family.”

Then the Lord replied, “You can do it because I will help you!”

God is looking for those who will be brave for Him!

Verse for today

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7b