sacred sabbaths 4/18: gideon

Apr 18, 2010

I am considering having a new weekly post topic…a Sabbath day post of a story or insight to add meaning or reflection to my Sabbath day…and yours as well. I’m not sure if I will stick with it or not, but I am at least going to do it this week.

We just attended a wonderful Sacrament meeting where Richard’s aunt and uncle spoke. They are leaving on a mission in Seoul, South Korea and were asked to share their thoughts on living like Christ with their congregation. Uncle Phil shared the story of Gideon and his army. This is one of our family’s favorite stories. Are you familiar with it? If not, let me recount it for you.

Gideon had an army of 32,000 men. A pretty large army, no? His opponent had an army of 135,000 men. God told Gideon he had too many men in his army and needed to send some of them home. Now they were already outnumbered almost 5:1. Send some home? Reason says no. Strategy says no. God says yes. Gideon obeys and sends 22,000 home. Left with ten thousand men, Gideon must wonder how his army can win with a ratio of 13:1. Again, God says, there are too many men. Finally Gideon is left with 300 men who are watchful, alert, and obedient. Three hundred! How on earth can they even have the courage to go into battle against the Midianites who greatly outnumber them?

Gideon