Is life a comedy or a tragedy? Are we the hero or the victim? Or maybe the villain? Is the world descending into chaos and dystopia or are we on a path of ever-increasing prosperity and progress? The stories we tell orient us to our place in the world and our role in the story.
The Bible tells the story of a loving God and a messy people. There is a beginning and an end. Major themes of creation, redemption, and sanctification trace the arc of this grand narrative. And Jesus Christ is the center of it all – the great hero of the story who comes incognito to rescue and redeem his broken creation.
Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation
O God, you are the beginning, the middle, and the end. You are all in all. Lead me. Help me. Forgive me. Keep me from wandering and weariness. Keep my love ready and willing to serve You by serving others. Praise and honor be to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God now and forever. Amen.
Confession
O God, how can I believe without your help. I am filled with doubt. “What about . . . ?” “Is it really true?” “How do I really know you’re there? That you’re listening? That you care about me?” I confess with honesty all my fear and disbelief. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me. Melt me. Mold me. Fill me. Use me. I believe; help my unbelief.
Word: Judges 7:19-20
“So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, ‘A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!’”
Meditation: Winning the Battle by Julianna Shults
The battle between Gideon’s army and the Midianites never fails to bring me joy. Sometimes I think we doubt that God has a sense of humor, but in stories like this, it can be hard to deny.
Gideon leads his people to surround the Midianites in the middle of the night. The watch is set, meaning almost everyone is asleep. They sneak in with torches that are covered until they make a full circle surrounding the Midian camp. When everyone is in place, they break jars covering their torches, shout, and blow trumpets.
Have you even been woken from a dead sleep by bright lights or a loud noise? You are disoriented, flailing around for an explanation. Maybe you accidentally grab the person near you or stand up and stub your toe. You are in no shape to fight or even assess what’s happening.
This is exactly what God (and Gideon) was counting on. To a sleepy Midian army, it looked like they were overrun. The Midianites were so confused they cried out and hurt each other. They fled, giving Gideon the victory. God did exactly what He promised, using an unsure Gideon to save His people.
Only our all-powerful God could make 300 men run off the enemy without any weapons in the middle of the night. The Israelites saw God save them as He had before and as He will do again.
We often limit the ways we think God can win the day. We pray for God to show his power in the very specific way we think will work best. Instead of letting God show us an unlikely or unimagined way, we want to put God in a box.
Then we remember the God who sent a 21,000+ person army away so Israel could win by scaring Midian in their sleep. Our God is not just one of unlikely heroes but unlikely paths as well.
Being a disciple of Jesus in a scary world isn’t always easy, but that isn’t anything new. Gideon has gone from a literal hole in the ground to guiding an army of 300 to win the day by sheer surprise. God calls us His own men and women of valor, even if the path we take doesn’t look like what we expect.
Gideon’s story reminds us that God can use anyone to bring His salvation to others. We are saved not by our own actions, but by God who sent Jesus to die even when we didn’t deserve it. It also reminds us that our God uses unexpected ways to save us even in desperate days.
Whatever battle you are facing, maybe this story just makes you laugh today. Or maybe it reminds you to be open to the imaginative ways our God might be working to save you today.
Lord, we rejoice in all of your victories. We rejoice that you have made us men and women of valor. When we come up against challenges and battles, help us to always remember that you are our strength and salvation. Amen.
Benediction
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Amen. (Rom. 15:13)