Opportunity Knocks

As humans we can feel inadequate at times. Opportunities appear to us and we think we can’t step up to meet the moment. We assess the moment and determine, based on our assets and abilities, that it’s more than we can do. Because of this we don’t engage the opportunity. But what if the opportunity is from God? What if God has chosen us for that moment to do something He has planned for our lives? As we read through the Bible we will discover that God asked people to do things they felt they couldn’t accomplish. They felt there was no way they could do what God was asking them to do. The story of Gideon was one of them. Gideon reflects how many of us feel.

Gideon is sitting, minding his own business, when the Angel of the Lord shows up. The Angel of the Lord is a unique and mysterious divine messenger in the Hebrew Bible who speaks and acts as God Himself. God has come to Gideon and presented to Him His plan. He wants Gideon to save the Israelites. Gideon’s response is much like ours when a situation appears too big for us. “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” (Judges 6:15). Isn’t this our response to things that we view as impossible? Excuse me, God! I think you have the wrong person. Can you find someone else? But God has given us the moment, not someone else. We are cautious because we assess the situation from our perspective and see the impossible. But God sees what He can do through us if we are willing.

Notice what God tells Gideon. “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?” (Judges 6:14). God says go do what I am asking because I am sending you. God says to go in the strength we have. If God is sending us, then God will be with us. He will give us the strength to accomplish His will. God doesn’t call us to do something we can do on our own. God calls us to do things that we need Him to accomplish. In our strength, we get the praise. In God's strength, He gets the praise. God wants to use us to accomplish things much bigger than our own ability can do.

Gideon was from the weakest clan in all of Israel, and he was the least in his family. None of this mattered to God. God wanted to accomplish something big through Gideon. All He needed was for Gideon to be willing to accept it. God would do the rest. The apostle Paul wrote, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God uses our weaknesses to show His strength. When God calls us to do something He’ll provide what we need to get it done.