Many of us remember the account of Gideon in the book of Judges, chapters 6 and 7. This was a time when Israel was in a vulnerable position relative to the people who lived around them. This time it was the nation of the Midianites who were so oppressive and dangerous that the Israelites literally prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 

We read that “Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help.”

That help arrived in the form of Gideon, who was told by an angel of God that he would lead the force to destroy the Midianites. Like you and I when we are tapped by God for an assignment, he was reluctant. But God made it clear that He was with him. So Gideon summoned the Israelites and 10,000 men showed up ready to fight. But then an interesting event occurred. God told Gideon that he had too many men and that Israel might be tempted to think that it was their strength rather than God’s that they defeated the Midianites. Twice, the Lord told Gideon to send men home and he was left with 300 men. This was an impossibly small group to go to battle. But what seems impossible to us is never impossible to God.

In the middle of the night, at Gideon’s instructions, the 300 men surrounded the camp of the Midianites. They had torches hidden inside jars and at Gideon’s signal they smashed their jars revealing the torches, blew their trumpets and shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.” Overwhelmed by fear and thinking that they were surrounded by huge numbers of men, the Midianites actually ran for their lives, breaking their military positions, and fought one another in their confusion. The end result was a total rout of the Midianites and victory for Israel.

The next time you think something is impossible, think of Gideon. God is not intimidated by our lack of resources. He is able to do the impossible and actually loves to do so to remind us that it is His power that matters in our lives and ministries. God can take the few, or the little, and do the impossible. In times of discouragement this is a lesson to remember.

Father, thank you that you are not limited by our meager resources. Encourage me, when life looks impossible, that you are the God of the possible. Amen.