Weakness = Good?

The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength saved her, announce now to the people anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead." - Judges 7:2-3

Too many men?
Conventional wisdom says that the more men you take into battle the better your chances of victory. But God wanted to make sure that the Israelites didn't trust in their own power. He wanted them to trust in Him for the victory. So He whittled down their army to a mere 300 men so that there would be no way for them to take credit for the victory.


God has a pattern of working this way. Salvation is from Him, and not something we can manufacture or become worthy of (Ephesians 2:8-9) As Mark pointed out yesterday, God often calls weak people to do His work. The apostle Paul put it this way, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.(2 Corinthians 12:9-10)"

Don't overlook Gideon's faith. He trusted God enough to send his men away. Perhaps God asking you to give something up so that you will trust Him more than you trust in yourself? What are you trusting in that prevents you from trusting in God?

Father I am weak. Help me to delight in my weakness. Lead me to surrender the things that cause me to trust in myself. I want only to trust in you, because you deserve my trust. It is foolishness for me to trust in my good or my ability. I love you Lord.

For His glory,
Matt