January 28
"And the Lord said to Gideon,
'The people who are with you are too many
for me to give the Midianites into their hands,
lest Israel claim glory for itself against me,
saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’"
Judges 7:2
To walk with the Lord is so different from walking according to one's own wisdom that most simply would never even entertain the idea.
God has chosen Gideon to conquer the Midianites, a people more numerous and stronger than his. In prior passages we see God choosing Gideon - and his response was, "Who, me? You've got to be kidding!" This is the first lesson in the story, that God chooses people who are not qualified.
Next, God tells Gideon that he has too many soldiers, and to reduce the thousands down to 300. Always read the Sriptures by getting into the story - picture Gideon, a man who feels unqualified in the first place, as he hears God telling him that he needs to REDUCE his assets. Most people would never be able to continue in the story, it takes a deep level of faith to walk with God because his ways are NOT our ways.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways,” says the Lord."
Isaiah 55:8
The point God was making is that HE is in charge of all things. HE will give - or not give - success in whatever we do, and the purpose is that we will never pat ourselves on the back as though the success was because of our own abilities.
Oh how important it is to be walking according to the way God has laid out before you. In every circumstance bring your concern to God and let him lead you according to HIS way, not yours. Only then will you achieve success. If you achieve it any other way it will be destined to eventually fail.
