(Read Judges 6)
Yesterday, I read a Facebook post of a longtime friend. She was sharing a “morning blessing” written by Susie Larson. Sometimes on Facebook I’ll infinitely scroll, looking for one funny, memorable, or newsworthy prize after another, only to realize I’ve just wasted 30 minutes doing nothing. This time was different. My friend doesn’t post whimsical or provocative things. She’s authentic and going through real things now, battling cancer for the second time.
I’ve always loved her faith. It’s been a model for me, something I’ve always reached for. Over the last several months, she has been undergoing uncomfortable, toxic chemo treatments to fight the disease, including Doxorubicin (Red Devil). As deep as her faith is, I know she’s pulling out all the stops to guide her through this darkness.
Larson wrote, “No sickness, no circumstance, no enemy, no opposition can keep you from God’s best purpose for you! Your unbelief is the only roadblock that stands in your way. God can do in a moment what takes us years to accomplish. He’s working even now, accomplishing things in you and around you that you cannot perceive or imagine at the moment. One day, you’ll step out of this crisis and marvel at what God has done, His attention to detail, and the love with which He carried out His plans for you.”
Admittedly, there are times when God is remotely distant to me; He’s more of an “it” that I pray to and talk about. I hate when this happens because I know that’s not what He is or who He is to me. The truth is that He’s much more to me. He is the truth. He’s been working in my life before I knew Him, so I’m deeply ashamed when He becomes a concept and not a person to me.
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”
Judges 6:15-16
The Midianites, the Amalekites, and other tribes consistently invaded Israel during the harvest season, destroying crops and livestock and causing massive suffering to the Israelites. The Israelites cried out to God, and in response, God chose Gideon to be a judge and deliverer for the Israelites.
Like any normal person, Gideon questioned his ability to lead this great of a quest and requested signs from God to confirm his calling. After he got the signs, he gathered an army, but God instructed him to reduce its size to demonstrate God’s power in the upcoming battle. Gideon’s army went from 32,000 to only 300 men against a Midian army of 132,000. Gideon’s initial response highlighted his lack of faith in himself and actually questioned God’s calling. God chooses people unsuitable for His tasks and makes them suitable. As Pastor JD Greear says, “God doesn’t call the brave; he makes brave those he calls. When God calls us, he doesn’t see us or define us by the condition we are in, but by what he is determined to make us into in Christ.”
God is always working in front of and behind the camera. There are times when we clearly notice His displays of action in real time and times we only recognize His activity once we get a broader perspective. At first, Gideon doubted his ability to defeat the Midianite army, but his doubt never prevented him from trusting or following the Lord’s truth. None of us are ever courageous enough for God’s callings. God knows what we are made for, and it’s our work for Him that makes us courageous. Gideon’s victory over the Midianites manifests God’s deliverance for the Israelites and is a living example of what His plans accomplish in us and for Him.
He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”
Luke 7:14-16
Luke’s gospel described Jesus’ raising of a widow’s son and the crowd’s reaction. The story is a reminder of several truths about Jesus. He demonstrated His resurrection power, His compassion for the most vulnerable members of Jewish society, and it was the first time that Jesus raised someone from the dead – a foreshadowing of His own victory over death.
The people witnessing the event said that a great prophet had arisen among them and that God had visited his people. They were finally seeing the truth. They were beginning to understand who Jesus was and that He was not just a healer and miracle worker; he was the Messiah, the Son of God, who had come to save his people.
Luke’s passage tells us that we, too, should be filled with awe and wonder when we experience the power of God in our lives. When we see God moving in our midst, we should glorify him and acknowledge his greatness. We should remember His promises, too. Jesus cannot lie; what He promises will come to life. Jesus told Mary, “Your brother will rise again. … I am the resurrection and the life.” It wasn’t what she wanted to hear about her dead brother, but she saw solace, light, and truth since it was coming from Christ.
My friend who shared the post doesn’t react to circumstances; she responds to truth. Truth is a person, and that person has always been present in her life. She knows not to base her understanding on her own insights but on what is revealed to her. Faith in promises ranks higher than self-assessments.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
John 14:6-7
The central message of the verse is that Jesus is the only way to God. He’s not one of many possible ways to God; he is the only way. Jesus is truth and is the embodiment of truth. He is the source of all truth and teaches us the truth about God, ourselves, and the world. When we follow Jesus, we are following the truth.
There have been countless times when I have felt the pain and uncertainty of being alone. I remember one day when surfing on a grey day in dark, murky water when I felt something bump my leg. It was such an eerie day. My friend wasn’t too far away, but I felt utterly alone. As it turned out, there were hammerhead sharks sighted nearby that day. Another time, I remember trying to calm myself when preparing to read Psalm 23 for my Dad’s funeral. I wasn’t afraid of failure; I just felt alone. It wouldn’t have mattered how much I stumbled, froze, or had to walk away from the Lectern, but as I read, “I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” I knew I was not alone. I felt a sense of complete peace with God by my side. The more I read, the more comfort I felt.
Believers are never truly alone. Christ is always with us. Our faith keeps Him close, guides our steps, and gives us hope while we wait. Only Jesus can represent truth because only He died on the cross, only He never sinned, and only He gives us eternal life. The truth is that Jesus makes a difference.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Philippians 1:6
Key Applications:
- When we face significant challenges or tasks, we often feel inadequate. What does that say about our trust in God? Spend time each day this week praying that you do a better job trusting in God’s guidance and not being discouraged by feelings of inadequacy.
- The ultimate goal of our faith is to be united with Christ in eternity. Work hard at remaining steadfast in your faith, even during challenging times or periods of doubt. Trust that God is continually working in your life, refining and shaping you. Trust in the truth.
Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.