Strength in Weakness

Hello, friends, and thanks for joining us for today's encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional. Our reading, titled Strength and Weakness, was written by Jennifer Benson-Schult. When my son was nearly three, I needed an operation that would require a month or more of recovery. Prior to the procedure, I imagined myself in bed while stacks of dirty dishes accumulated in the sink. I wasn't sure how I'd take care of an active toddler, and I couldn't picture myself standing in front of the stove to cook our meals. I dreaded the impact my weakness would have on the rhythm of our lives.

In Judges 7, God intentionally weakened Gideon's forces before his troops confronted the Midianites. First, those who were afraid were allowed to leave. Twenty-two thousand men went home. Then, of the 10,000 who remained, only those who scooped water into their hands to drink could stay.

Just 300 men were left, but this disadvantage prevented the Israelites from relying on themselves. They couldn't say, my own strength has saved me. Many of us experience times when we feel drained and powerless. When this happened to me, I realized how much I needed God. He encouraged me inwardly through His Spirit and outwardly through the helpfulness of friends and family. I had to let go of my independence for a while, but this taught me how to lean more fully on God.

Because His power is made perfect in weakness, we can have hope when we can't meet our needs on our own. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Judges chapter 7, verses 1 through 9. Early in the morning, drubbable that is Gideon, and all his men camped at the spring of Herod.

The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Morah. The Lord said to Gideon, You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel will boast against me.

My own strength has saved me. Now announced to the army, anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead. So 22,000 men left, while 10,000 remained. But the Lord said to Gideon, There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, This one shall go with you, he shall go.

But if I say, This one shall not go with you, he shall not go. So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink. Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down to their knees to drink. The Lord said to Gideon, With the three hundred men that lapped, I will save you, and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home. So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home, but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night, the Lord said to Gideon, Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. Let's pray. Dear God, when we are facing something that seems beyond our ability to handle, remind us that you're with us and that you'll give us the strength we need to face any challenge. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.