Day 65

Jan 4: Judges 1-8
I enjoy reading the story about Gideon in Judges. It always shows me how much God really does for us and how we need to be open to that. Gideon was called by God while the Israelites were being oppressed by the Midianites for all the evil they had committed. When God called him to save the Israelites, he was so tentative and hesitant to follow God. He questions God first asking him why all this hardship was happening, then asks God for signs so he knows that God really is calling him. Once he sees the sign where the piece of fleece is wet and the ground is dry, then the fleece is dry and ground is wet, he finally goes forth in doing God's work.
This makes Gideon seem pretty weak to us but I think that's the point. God chooses Gideon who is the least among his family and whose clan is the weakest to show that God himself is the strongest. He can defeat a mighty army of Midian with Gideon and just three hundred men. During Pastor Jae's sermon this week, he told us how we should have so much peace in our lives knowing that God is on our side. The greatest being or God in the universe fights for us, what should be ever be afraid of? I'm being reinforced more and more these days that God is in control and not us. All we need to do is to acknowledge this and leave our lives open for him to use and he will do work. I hope I remember this during my missions trip to Costa Rica which is obviously on my mind a lot these days. I need to understand that God will use me whichever way he wants. I shouldn't push too hard to do great things, I'll just keep an open mind and heart and remember that God is the one that does everything.