Gideon

 

“The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have…’” (Judges 6:14, NIV).

God spoke these words to Gideon at a very low point in his life. We learn from the passage that he felt abandoned by God, and he wasn’t afraid to say so out loud. Not only that, but he felt exceedingly small and inferior. He basically stated, “I am the least of the least of the nothings and the nobodies.” He felt forsaken, worthless, and full of fear.

What a state for God to decide to call him out of! What a condition, for Him to greet Gideon by calling him “you mighty man of valor!” (v. 12, NKJV). I can almost hear Gideon nearly choking, to take in such words. Maybe he looked over his shoulder, wondering if the angel of the Lord was talking to someone else. Mighty man of valor?? He can’t be talking about me! was clearly going through his mind. It spilled out into his words. “Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (v. 15).

And yet, that call! “Go in the strength that you have.” What strength? I have no strength! None!

 Here’s the thing. God sees the end from the beginning. He was already in Gideon’s future, watching him vanquish Midian with a rinky-dink army and all of heaven backing him up. He was reporting from His highly superior vantage point. From that vantage point, He knew that Gideon had just the right amount of strength for that moment. He had just enough strength to begin his journey.

I love how the NKJV renders it: “Go in this might of yours.” God is countering Gideon’s protests with exactly the encouragement he needs, “You do have it! The strength is yours! You really are the mighty man of valor that My eyes see!”

As God speaks this over him, the very beginning of strength begins to rise up in Gideon. The seed of the Word of God spoken into his spirit goes into his heart-soil. It begins to Continue reading This Might of Yours