By And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. Judges 8:4
The account of the life of Gideon is a very interesting and encouraging portion of Scripture. Like many of us, Gideon felt himself unworthy to answer the call of God. These are his words from Judges 6:15: “Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? My family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” A few verses before, God had called him a mighty man of valor. We should be so glad that God sees us for what we can be when we are clueless about what He intends to accomplish through us.
Let us briefly look at the situation in which Gideon found himself. For seven years the Midianites, Amalekites and other tribes had terrorized the people of Israel. Prevailing in war wasn’t enough for these enemies. They also destroyed their crops and killed their animals- leaving their opportunity to make a living nearly impossible.
God called Gideon to a seemingly impossible task. With three hundred men, he came against an army of over one hundred thousand and defeated them. Impossible? With men it is; but all things are possible with God.
Joshua 8:4 picks up where Gideon and his army are pursuing what was left of the huge army they had faced. Notice- they were worn out, but they were still going. That brings us to our current situation.
In the past two years we have continually dealt with COVID-19. Add to this businesses closing, churches struggling to stay open, prices rising, inflation rising and basic uncertainty all around. I think we can agree that we have been facing an enemy. I think every trip to the gasoline station or the grocery store proves that it has affected our ability to make a living. The bottom line- like Gideon and his army- we are worn out.
The good news is- we are still going. God has been with us all this time and He will not leave us now. We need to hide these words in our hearts that were spoken to Gideon long ago: “Surely I will be with you.”
So, if you feel tired from all that you have encountered, take courage. God will give us the strength to keep going and accomplish what He has purposed for our lives.
Dave Snyder is an Ordained Bishop with the Church of God – Cleveland, Tennessee. Before entering the ministry on a full-time basis, he was a school teacher. He also coached middle school basketball for eight years.
Dave and his wife, Sara, have two children — Craig and Karen. They also have one ten year old granddaughter — Breanna.
Dave and Sara pastored in West Virginia for thirty-six years. Sara is now retired from the banking industry, and Dave is retired from pastoring. However, Dave currently serves as prison Chaplain for the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Writing essays, articles, and devotionals is a real passion for Dave. He also enjoys playing musical instruments and singing.
by leaps and bounds 