Fear Daily Devotional - March 4

March 4

Judges 7:3
3: Now therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and afraid, let him turn and depart at once from Mount Gilead.’” And twenty-two thousand of the people returned, and ten thousand remained. 

Comment:

This passage is included in one of my favorite stories.  We are still following Gideon on his mission to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites control.  Gibeon and his people were camped and ready to fight.  The Lord decided that there were too many warriors with Gideon and he felt that if they fought it would be a fight too easily won, and God would not get the glory.  So the Lord shared the passage above with Gideon.  If I was Gideon I would surely be wondering what God was doing.  Aren’t we safer with more folks to do battle with us?  Well. if you read the rest of the story (and please do) you will find that the Lord actually reduced the fighters all the way down to 300!  And of course, the Lord fought and won the battle,  because the 300 followed His directions precisely.

I often return to this story when I feel overwhelmed or even abandoned by my friends and family.  I realize that it is not with numbers of warriors that the battle is won, but with very clear directions from the Lord that we can win.  If we have people with us, they must be the ones who the Lord clearly directs us to include in the battle. 

As with this whole life walk that we walk, we must take the time to hear the Lord’s direction for every move we make.  It requires us to hear clearly each step we are to take.  But when you see the way the Lord goes before and promises to fight the battles for us, is there any other way to live?