Saturday, October 6, 2001
Saturday, October 6, 2001
For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have
believed that
I came from God.
God called a man named Gideon to rally the people of Israel and to lead them against
this
invading horde. Thirty-two thousand men volunteered for Gideon's army. Gideon must
have felt
pretty good about that. But God said, that's too many. God's reason: If Israel wins with
a big
army, the people will say, "This is a victory that we have won." They will not understand
that God
gave them the victory.
"Tell those who are afraid to go home," God said. Twenty-two thousand men breathed
a sigh of
relief and headed home. Now there were ten thousand.
"Still too many," said God. "Take them down to the water." "Let them drink. Those who
lap up
the water with their tongues like dogs you shall keep. Send the others back home."
Now they were down to 300. God said, "That's more like it." God loves underdogs, and
God
loves you!
(John 16:27
NRSV)
Do you remember the wonderful story of Gideon back in Judges 6-8? The armies of the
Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East were amassed against the
people of
Israel. The writer tells us that these "armies lay along the valley like locusts for
multitude; and
their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the seashore...." It must
have been
an impressive and terrifying sight to face such an army.
Dear God, heal me with your awesome love. Amen.
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