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April 18, 2017 |
“When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.’” Judges 6:12 (NIV)
I remember being a new mom and finding great solace in the bathroom. Some days I wanted to hide in there for long stretches of time from my energetic toddler. My son Ethan loved to turn off the light in the bathroom and shut the door. He would giggle from the other side.
I didn’t care about being in the dark. I was just happy to be left alone for a moment. I didn’t feel at all like a mighty warrior. I felt more like a nobody hiding out.
This is how I imagine Gideon’s disposition was in Judges 6. During this time, the Midianites had overpowered and dominated Israel for seven years. The Israelites hid out in mountains, caves and forts. Like an invasion of locusts, the enemy came in and took over. They destroyed Israel’s crops and devastated the country. In desperation, the people of Israel cried out to God for help.
Perhaps something has overwhelmed you in your life. Maybe you relate to Gideon’s situation like this …
The crying children overpowered the mothers. Because of their whiny, unhappy little ones, the mothers made hideouts wherever they could find them — the bathroom, local coffee shop or hidden in the laundry room. The children wreaked havoc in the kitchen and family room. Their toys were like an invasion of locusts. The mothers, reduced to wearing sweats and cutting up food all day, cried out to God for help.
We can all take heart, because in the midst of Gideon’s hopelessness, God shows up in a big way. While Gideon was hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat, the angel of the Lord appears. This was not just any angel. This is understood to be an Old Testament appearance of God Himself declaring:
“The LORD is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12b).
“Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14b, NIV)
Gideon may have looked behind him to see if the angel of the Lord was addressing someone else. After all, he was hardly qualified to save Israel, coming from the weakest clan in Manasseh and being the least in his family (verse 15). Yet apparently to God, Gideon was a mighty warrior.
I believe God sees mighty warriors in each of us too. Imagine going about your daily work, making dinner, paying bills or sorting laundry and God appears to you saying, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” This would undoubtedly change your life.
It doesn’t matter how you were raised as a child, whether you’re rich or poor, God makes victors out of the ordinary and overlooked. God seems to delight in working powerfully through unexpected “warriors” such as Gideon, Rahab and Ruth. Don’t let your past determine your present or your circumstances dictate your worth. God is the giver of new life.
Notice God appeared to Gideon in private. Wheat was normally threshed in open spaces, typically on a hilltop so the breeze could blow away the chaff. But fearful of the Midianites, Gideon worked hidden away in a sunken winepress.
God can meet you in the privacy of your home when you’re tending to your family members, thinking no one notices your efforts. You might be caring for a toddler, teenager or aging parent. Or you may be at your job, doing your daily work when God shows up to speak to you. Gideon was a simple man living a normal life, but as he fulfilled his everyday duties, God showed up to do the miraculous.
Gideon was teachable because he listened to what the angel of the Lord said. He rose to the daunting occasion of delivering the Israelites. He didn’t do it perfectly, but God’s strength is perfected in weakness, isn’t it?
So when you look in the bathroom mirror today, what will you see? Even if you’re hiding in there, you can choose to see a mighty warrior for God.
Lord God, sometimes I wonder how I will accomplish the tasks at hand. I have felt overwhelmed and underqualified. Yet I know You are with me, and that makes all the difference in the world. May I experience Your power in my life today. Make me into a mighty warrior for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Judges 8:28, “Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace forty years.” (NIV)
2 Peter 1:3, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (NIV)
RELATED RESOURCES:
Is there someone in your life who inspires you to love God and love people? This Mother’s Day, we're honoring the women — our mothers, our sisters, our mentors and friends — who have loved us for who we are and taught us to see with our hearts. Let her know how much she means to you with these special gifts.
CONNECT:
Visit Arlene Pellicane’s blog today to win a copy of her book 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Mom. Arlene’s book will encourage you in your journey of being a “Mighty Warrior” Mom!
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
Which qualities of a mighty warrior would you like to possess?
© 2017 by Arlene Pellicane. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
630 Team Rd., Suite 100
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Tuesday, 18 April 2017.
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