Devotional

Faithful to Obey

Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers—they held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing—and they cried, “The sword of the LORD and of Gideon!” -Judges 7:20

Israel’s enemy is routed by thirty pot-breaking, torch-carrying, ear-splitting warriors who never shoot an arrow, throw a spear or wield a sword. Here, simple obedience to God’s directives brings liberation to God’s people. The conflict was not won on human terms in the sweaty, close quarters of combat, or in human force with a numberless host trained and hardened for battle. It was decided on the basis of faithful response to the things the Lord had spoken to Gideon.  

Human nature demands that we stack things in our favor, gathering every possible human resource to confront our challenges. All along, the Holy Spirit continually reminds us that our sufficiency is in Him alone. 

Our resources for success in life have little to do with what we can arrange, and everything to do with what we invite the Lord to work in us and through us by His grace. All He requires is that we be faithful to His commands. 

Judges