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Gideon, September 8
And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and
thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent
thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save
Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my
father’s house. And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee,
and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
Judges 6:14-16
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All the wonders which God has wrought for His people have been per-
formed by the most simple means. When the people of God are wholly
consecrated to Him, then He will employ them to carry forward His work on
the earth. But we should remember that whatever success may attend us, the
glory and honor belongs to God; for every faculty and every power is a gift
from Him.
God will test, to the utmost, the faith and courage of those to whom He has
entrusted responsibilities in His work. Appearances will often be forbidding.
Although God has given repeated assurance of His help, yet faith will almost
stagger. “Thus saith the Lord,” must be our firm reliance, independent of
human reasonings, or apparent impossibilities.
The experience of Gideon and his army, was designed to teach a lesson of
simplicity and faith. The leader whom God had chosen occupied no prominent
position in Israel. He was not a ruler, a Levite, or a priest. He thought himself
the least in his father’s house. Human wisdom would not have selected
him; but God saw in Gideon a man of integrity and moral courage. He was
distrustful of self, and willing to listen to the teachings of God, and carry out
His purposes.
The Lord is not dependent upon men of high position, of great intellect,
or extensive knowledge. Such men are frequently proud and self-sufficient.
They feel themselves competent to devise and execute plans without counsel
from God. They separate themselves from the True Vine, and hence become
dry and fruitless, as withered branches.
The Lord would put to shame the vaunting of men. He will give success to
the feeblest efforts, the most unpromising methods, when divinely appointed,
and entered upon with humility and trust.—
The Signs of the Times, June 30,
1881
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