Read: Judges 6:7-24
The LORD said to him, “But I will be with you.” (v. 16)
Being the weakest and the least in God’s economy is no invitation to self-contempt. In fact, Paul told us that God often chooses the weak things of the world to shame the strong. When God told Gideon to go save Israel from the oppression of Midian, Gideon objected, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” In reply, God said, “But I will be with you.” God with us—a very important distinction!
On the flip side, being full of pride is just another form of contempt. Jesus taught, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:4). He knelt in front of the disciples to wash their feet; he spoke the famous words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). In short, Jesus didn’t regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but humbled himself to serve, to spend his life’s capital purchasing life for others. He practiced no self-contempt; he practiced no contemptuous pride.
God is far more interested in the heart who desires his company than the person who discounts what God has to offer. Gideon called himself the runt of the litter, but God visited him, scared and alone, and Gideon was so changed by the encounter that he became a mighty warrior, growing his faith in God rather than self. —Amy Clemens
As you pray, thank God for that world-changing little phrase, “But I will be with you.”
STRENGTH & WEAKNESS SERIES BY AMY CLEMENS REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM WORDS OF HOPE, https://www.woh.org/devotionals/
Dear Reader,
I’m glad you’re along and I pray you will be blessed, challenged, and encouraged in your faith by something you read here.
There are archives by topic below – now more than 1000 of these daily meditations to browse.
ABOUT ME:
Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
Check out Walking When You’d Rather Fly, and learn more about the book and Amy’s other ministries. You will also find her devotional work at Words of Hope.
FREE TO YOU:
If you’d like to be notified of this blog each weekday, please look for the little blue “follow” button below (just above the topical search), and welcome!
asipoblog.com 