from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel

... God sees in us what He intends to accomplish through us

Judges 6:12 NKJV (devotion translation)

The book of Judges reveals a repeated pattern in Israel’s history: rebellion, oppression, repentance, and deliverance. After seasons of peace, the people drifted from the Lord, and He allowed hardship to awaken their hearts. In one such season, Israel found itself oppressed by the Midianites. Fear dominated the land, and even daily work was done in hiding.

It is in that setting that the Lord came to Gideon. He was not standing boldly on a battlefield. He was threshing wheat in a winepress—working quietly, cautiously, out of sight. Yet the Lord greeted him with words that seemed to contradict his circumstances: “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor.”

God’s declaration was not based on Gideon’s present confidence but on God’s sovereign purpose. The Lord saw beyond fear and weakness. He saw what He Himself would accomplish through a yielded life. Scripture teaches that God calls things that are not as though they were. He forms courage in the humble and strength in the dependent.

This is the character of God. He does not choose the self-sufficient to display His power, but those who know their need of Him. Gideon’s story reminds us that our limitations do not hinder God’s purposes. What matters is not how we see ourselves, but how faithfully we respond to His call.

The Lord who spoke to Gideon is the same Lord who dwells with His people today through Christ. When He calls, He also equips. When He commands, He also strengthens. Our part is to trust Him, step forward in obedience, and allow His power to be made perfect in weakness.

Lord, help me to trust Your calling on my life and to depend on Your strength rather than my own. Amen.

Gideon's Life:

• Judges 6:1-16 - In a time of oppression, God calls Gideon from hiding and commissions him to deliver Israel.
• Judges 6:17-40 - Gideon seeks reassurance through signs, revealing both his weakness and God’s patience.
• Judges 7:1-22 - God brings victory over Midian with only 300 men, demonstrating His power.
• Judges 8:22-27 - Gideon honors God as king but later stumbles, creating an ephod that becomes a snare.
• Hebrews 11:32 - Despite flaws, Gideon is remembered as a man of faith in God’s redemptive plan.

More Insight:

• 1 Samuel 16:7 - God looks at the heart, not outward appearance, seeing what others cannot.
• Exodus 3:11-12 - Moses doubts his ability, but God assures him of His presence and purpose.
• Jeremiah 1:6-8 - God calls Jeremiah despite his hesitation, promising to be with him.
• Romans 4:17 - God calls things that do not exist as though they did, reflecting His sovereign purpose.
• 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 - God chooses the weak to display His power and bring Him glory.
• 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - God’s strength is made perfect in weakness.
• Philippians 1:6 - God faithfully completes the work He begins in His people.
• Hebrews 13:5-6 - God’s abiding presence gives confidence to move forward in faith.