Unlikely Hero

Tuesday, ‎March ‎28, ‎2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: 1 Timothy 2:5-6

5For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.…

Memory of the Month: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Today's reading: JUDGES 4-6 LUKE 4:31-44

Unlikely Heroes

The Old Testament book of Judges has some great accounts of how individuals were used in great ways by God. But a lot of these are never spoken of much and we need to see why. We hear a lot of Moses and Joshua and a little of Caleb but have you ever heard of a man named Othniel? God used him to defeat the king of Mesopotamia.

God used a man named Ehud to defeat the king Moab and the Israelites were at peace for eighty years after that. After that, a man named Shamgar defeated the Philistines. (All this is in the first three chapters of Judges)

Then we come to the ladies in Judges chapter 4-Deborah was a prophetess and judge. Barak was an insecure Israelite general who would not go into the battle Deborah had told him to unless she went with him. She consented but told him that the day would belong to a woman. Ever heard of Jael? She was just a wife-but she killed the king of the opposing army and they sang songs about her in chapter 5.

Gideon was a simple farmer who had a weak image of himself. He had all the rational arguments of why the country was in the shape it was in and why he should not be the one God should use-he asked God to prove to him that he had been chosen-twice-and God still used him.

I believe we can see ourselves in all these stories. Simple people with all the right excuses. People who do not see themselves as ones who could be used in a great way by God. But step back and ask, "How is greatness measured?"

What is a 'great' work? It is time for us to realize that if God gives us a thing to do like, say, speaking grace and peace to a neighbor or delivering food to someone lonely, this is a divine appointment-a Godly work-a great work. There were a number of people in the Bible who, even though they did great things and had their names recorded there, are not readily remembered.

Your name is written in God's Book and this is a great thing. Being washed in the blood of Jesus is a miracle from 2000 years ago that happens somewhere in the world everyday. How great is it that we have a chance to be a part of that in someone's life? Yes, you do have that chance.

We all have that chance, that opportunity-after we have exhausted all our rational excuses about how 'we just can't' or 'we never could' or 'no one ever listens to me'. Gideon tried that. Try 'laying out a fleece' like Gideon, I challenge you. Ask God to prove to you that He will work through you to do something for His kingdom. He will. But...be careful what you ask for...God will give you something divinely great to do and you and God may be the only ones to ever know. Remember? "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake"-His name-not yours.

...because He loves you...because He loves us.

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me for making excuses. Show me what and how and I will follow You. Teach me how to leave my name out of it.

Father of all and complete deliverer,

In the name of Jesus,

Amen