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Judges 6:14-17, The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

The cycle begins once more.  It's almost painful to read this, as we can predict what's going to happen.  Deborah dies and the people once again do evil in the eyes of the Lord.  God allows the Midianites to overtake the Hebrew people and the Midianites are incredibly cruel and oppressive.  The Midianites destroy the Israeli crops and their livestock.  The people are hungry and weak so they cry out to God for help.  This time, God calls Gideon to be a judge.

Today's focus verses are part of Gideon's call story.  An angel of the Lord finds Gideon threshing wheat in a winepress, hidden from sight.  He had to go somewhere away from the destructive eye of the Midianites.  The angel greets him with a "Welcome, brave warrior" kind of message.  You can kind of picture Gideon looking around, "Are you talking to me?" He goes on to say that his clan is the weakest in Israel and he is the weakest in his family.  How in the world can God be sending him to save his people?

Then God tells him something he needs to hear, something we all need to hear, "It's not about you!"  God needed to remind Gideon that his weakness was irrelevant.  He could lead his people to victory over Midian but it wasn't about his skill or strength, it was about what God could do through him.  But Gideon had lots of doubt, he didn't believe God could or would do such a thing.  So Gideon tests God (read through the whole chapter to find out more) and God demonstrates that he was very serious - God chose Gideon.

Do you need a reminder that it isn't about you?  It isn't. It's about what God can do through you.

Let's pray...God, You are all-powerful, all-knowing, and filled with love and mercy.  Thank you for choosing us to participate in your work in this world.  We know that on our own, we can do nothing; in your power, though, anything is possible.  Amen.