Encouragement for Your Week: August 30-September 5
This Week’s Verse
The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’”
- Judges 7:2 (NIV)
Devotion
Gideon faced a monumental task. God had called him to defend Israel against the Midianites, who were preparing to raid and plunder the land. The odds were already stacked heavily against Gideon: the Midianites boasted an army of 135,000 men, while Gideon had scraped together just 32,000. Gideon likely felt completely overwhelmed and ill-prepared. Yet, in a striking twist, God told him his army was actually too large.
The Israelites had begged God to rescue them from their oppressors (Judges 6:6-7). In response, God wanted to leave absolutely no doubt about who deserved the credit for their upcoming victory. To ensure Israel couldn't claim the triumph as their own, God instructed Gideon to slash his forces until only 300 men remained.
It is a core flaw of human nature to take credit for our own successes. Instead of offering gratitude and glory to God, we instinctively praise our own talent, hard work, or intellect. Because pride is so deeply embedded in us, the Lord frequently reminds us of our true position.
The prophet Isaiah captured this dynamic perfectly using a bit of holy sarcasm:
“Does the axe raise itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it? As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up, or a club brandish the one who is not wood!” (Isaiah 10:15)
Isaiah uses these absurd mental images to drive home a profound truth: God is the ultimate source of all power. Because He is sovereign over all things, assuming we are the authors of our own success is pure foolishness.
Like the ancient Israelites, we often cry out to God for deliverance when we hit rock bottom. Yet, as soon as the storm passes, our pride can trick us into believing we pulled ourselves up by our own bootstraps. To protect us from this arrogance, God sometimes allows our resources to dwindle, forcing us to rely entirely on Him. He did this dramatically for Gideon’s army, securing a victory where they were outnumbered 450 to 1.
Recognizing that God alone delivers us isn't just about giving Him credit; it keeps our pride in check and anchors our faith. When you ask the Lord for breakthrough or rescue, don’t be surprised if the answer arrives in a way that leaves no doubt exactly who saved the day.
In what area of your life right now do you feel outnumbered or under-resourced, and how might God be using that deficit to display His power rather than your own?