Martha Olawale

“And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?” Judges 6:14

When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon in Judges 6:12-22, he was taken aback by the title bestowed on him, a warrior. Although all that Gideon could see was his people's troubles, God saw a deliverer in him. I can almost see the smirk on Gideon's face, saying, "Pardon me, my Lord, but if the Lord is with us, why have all these things happened to us? Where are all the wonders?"

His expectations of saving his people excluded his role as a warrior until God made him see it. He had all the excuses to discourage God from sending him: you should have done it; my tribe is weak; prove that you are the Lord. Gideon's misunderstanding of God's nature led him to expect God to resolve the situation single-handedly. However, he failed to realize that God often works through people, using them as extensions of His divine will. This realization is a powerful reminder that we, too, can be instruments of God's work.

Like Gideon, many Christians sit around daily expecting thunder to roar over the unjust and angels to appear to shepherd the lost. What can a little ‘I’ do on the grand scale of the world's demands, we think? We’ve convinced ourselves we are too insignificant to make a difference until God reminds us that our willingness to extend a hand commits His outstretched arms.

Did you notice what God said in Judges 6:14? He told Gideon to go “In his might” because what he had to offer was enough for God to do great things with. God uses people not because they can push a mountain but because they are willing to put their hands on the mountain. For every miracle that got the Israelites out of Egypt, there was a Moses, and for victory in the battle against the Midianites, there had to be a Gideon to lead the chosen 300.

Step out of the hiding place, waiting for a revival. It’s already here because you are here. Each time you point a finger at God to do something, four points back to you.

You are the wonder the world is waiting for because your redemption earns you strength and courage in the likeness of the heroes of our faith. It gives power to your feeble hands and boldness, enlarging your weary heart. As you look to God for answers to the pain in the world, live conscious of who you are: a wonder through whom God wants to save souls, feed the hungry, fight injustice, and lead an army out of hell to the throne of grace.