BUCKING THE ODDS
Judges 7:1-8
Vv. 3, 7: “So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained…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 other men go, each to his own place.’”
Judges 7:1-8
Vv. 3, 7: “So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained…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 other men go, each to his own place.’”
Did you ever hear the phrase, “Bucking the odds?” It means that regardless of how a situation appears, humans reason that defying what appears to be a sure thing is risky.
As we saw in Victory in Obedience devotion, Gideon emerged victorious despite facing tremendous odds. In verse 3 above, Gideon’s original 32,000 men were reduced to 10,000, when 22,000 went home because they were scared. God further trimmed their numbers to just 300. Now Gideon was required to buck the odds for victory.
His defeat seemed imminent (IM-in-ent, meaning impending, forthcoming). Why did God force Gideon to accept these overwhelming odds against Israel’s victory?
Was it to prevent Gideon’s soldiers’ pride? YES! (Judges 7:2). He trimmed Gideon’s troop number down to trivially inconsequential (in-CON-se-quench-ial, meaning unimportant). Just 300 men remained to fight a major battle. To top that, God allowed their being armed only with jars, torches, and trumpets (Judges 7:16). That’s not logical! God’s making no sense! Gideon must have thought. Be reasonable! Gideon must have demanded, stomping his feet.
Was it to build Gideon’s faith and trust? YES! Trusting God is a learned behavior, gained only by experience. Often God places His children in impossible situations so they learn His faithfulness. Our heavenly Father knows the best classroom is where His kids feel utterly helpless.
Was Gideon’s job unreasonable? YES! The Israelites were outnumbered BEFORE God trimmed their numbers. Afterwards, the soldier to opponent ratio was 1:450. It was totally illogical to think they’d win! God’s classroom taught Gideon (his troops, and us) that the Lord’s wisdom and power can be trusted.
Was it for God’s glory? YES! Gideon’s army was so small that there was no way his men could take credit for their victory. Our heavenly Father delights in demonstrating His awesome power through our weakness.
Does Gideon’s story impress you?
Take Home Nugget
Our heavenly Father wants to display His awesome power by bucking the odds in achieving victory. For you. For me. I challenge you to pray about a worry that’s been nagging you. Ask for the Father’s help. Then obey Him…(sometimes it’s just to watch and wait). Thank Him, for His answer is imminent. BELIEVE and trust His faithfulness. I dare you to buck the odds. I dare you to be enchanted with God’s awesome power.
J.D. Griffith
“When God gives a command or a vision of truth, it is never a question of what He will do, but what WE will do.”
Henrietta Mears
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