{Be Devoted} He Will Raise You Up

I was asking myself this morning, “What are some examples of true devotion to God?” So I grabbed my Bible and was led to Judges 6. Judges 6 is the story based on the calling of Gideon. I’ll give you some background information to set the stage before I go any further.

During the time that God called Gideon to serve Him, Israel had been handed over to the Midianites. They had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. The Midianites exercised its power harshly against Israel. They were so harsh and cruel against Israel, that the Israelites fled to the mountains and lived in caves and other safe places. The Midianites would take and destroy everything they had. Nonetheless, this was very discouraging for Israel!

Now, let’s turn our attention to Gideon.

We find Gideon hiding from the Midianites, as he beats out wheat in the wine-press. The angel of the Lord appears to him and the first thing he says is, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

Gideon replies with question. He wonders, if God is with us, then why has all of this happened to us? After Gideon finishes speaking, the Lord says, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”

Imagine yourself in Gideon’s shoes. What he says next will give you a better understanding at his background. “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.”

If you were alive in his time, Gideon would have been the last guy anyone would have called to go out and save Israel. I love how at the very beginning of the story God called him “O mighty man of valor.” In the world’s eyes, Gideon was seen as the lowest of the low…but in God’s eyes it’s a totally different picture.

Furthermore, after Gideon said that, the Lord says, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

I will stop there for now, but I want to encourage you to read the rest of the story. It is so amazing to see how God used Gideon, the least wanted man to save Israel.

My friend, there are many times we question what God can do. This story encouraged me to answer, “yes,” to God even when I don’t understand why He would ask me to do some of things He has asked me to do. Maybe you hear God calling you to do something you really can’t imagine yourself doing. Maybe you are scared of taking that next big step in His direction.
Fear and worry are unnecessary walls placed in front of the plan God has for you. God wants to make you shine so bright, so that when others see you, they see Christ at work in your life. You have a purpose. When you start to think that all is going wrong and you feel like the lowest of the lowest…God wants to remind you  of His love. He has set you on solid ground and will be with you day and night. He will never leave your side.