It Takes A Village – Week 7
Joshua has died, the people were left without a leader, and all matters of sin have begun to ripple through the hearts of the Israelites. Feeling alone and most likely unsure of their future, Gods people petitioned heaven eager to know who would lead them in their embroiled battled with the Canaanites.
When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”
Judges 6:7-10
In the book of Judges we find God’s chosen people struggling with their devotion worshipping false gods. Twice in the book of Judges we are told that Israel had no king- no earthly king. The Israelites failed to notice that they did have a king- God, the King of all heaven and earth. But without the flesh and bones leadership they desired they continued to squat in pits of sin doing anything and everything their own flesh desired. But God’s great love would never allow Him to turn His back on his beloved people. So God chose to use those who were seemingly unfit to do His good works.
In Judges chapter 6 we meet a man named Gideon. The Israelites had returned to their wicked ways right before God’s eyes so God had put them under the dominion of Midian for seven years. Midian overpowered Israel causing God’s people to hide out in caves in the mountains. They were left with nothing living in desperate poverty crying out to God. An angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon proclaiming him a “mighty warrior”. Gideon was naturally confused questioning God’s angelic servant about the miracles his ancestors claimed to witness by God’s hand. But though Gideon too was sinful in his doubt and flesh, doing nothing more than threshing wheat when the angel appeared, God was going to use this unlikely man with no impressive credentials to perform many miracles including tearing down altars of false gods and winning incredible bloody battles with a small army of men behind him.
Life Application:
There are many of us who would consider ourselves the ‘runt of the litter’ as Gideon did, but we must not underestimate what God can do with what seemingly looks like little. Though Gideon was mighty fulfilling the good works God had planned for him, he was not alone. God had whittled down Gideon’s army to a troop of 300 who had set aside their fear in order to follow God’s plan into victory. God had cultivated a community- a village of sorts- in this mighty army that accomplished much in His name.
We must remember that in all the good works God has planned for us, we are never alone in the battle. We too live in a culture loud and noisy in our petitions for earthly kings and leaders, yet we want to squat in our pits of sin doing anything and everything our flesh desires. In all the chaos of the world around us it is easy to lose sight of who is in control. But the truth is that God is the one in control even though the mess we have created looks impossible to escape. God will use what looks like seemingly little to accomplish victories of greatness that may only be understood on the other side of heaven. He will created mighty armies that cannot be taken down by a world at war with itself.
Father, I know I cannot work alone in your good works for you work all things together for those who are called for your purposes. Though I may not have much to offer, I have a heart willing to do battle for your good works. May the community of which I belong stand side by side accomplishing much in your name. In Jesus name, amen.
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