Scripture: Hebrews 11:32-34 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
Devotional: When things get bad, God often looks for someone to use. And many times, it’s the most unlikely of people; all to show his surpassing glory. This holds true in Gideon’s story, as we’ll discover in this week’s devotions.
When the writer of Hebrews praises the faith of people God used throughout history, he states: “…whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.” This perfectly describes Gideon. His story can be found in Judges 6-8, opening with the people of Israel being oppressed by the Midianites. And Gideon, who was the least in his family and of the weakest clan in Israel, was hiding – threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
As we will see, God chose to take a nobody and turn him into a somebody. And if you ever struggle with your own feelings of “less than”, Gideon’s story may be just what you need to be reminded of the kind of people God uses.
Reflect:
- Are there any areas where you feel like a “nobody”?
- In what ways might that keep you hiding from God?