Excuses

"But I will be with you," the LORD said to him. "You will strike Midian down as if it were one man." ~Judges 6:16 HCSB

Gideon is threshing wheat in a wine vat.  He is hiding, trying not to be discovered by the Midianites who come every harvest and steal the Israelites grain.  This was wasn’t the work for a man in his time and an Angel of the Lord appears to him and said: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior”.  Seeing Gideon hiding in a wine vat doing the work of a woman, the Angel calls him “mighty warrior”.  Then Gideon goes on to explain how God delivered the people of Israel from Egypt but has abandoned them now to Midian.  The Angel tells Gideon to go in the strength you and deliver Israel, and closes with “Am I not sending you?”  Gideon says I’m weak, my family is weak, and how can I do this?  “But I will be with you," the LORD said to him”.  

Isn’t just like us to be given a task to accomplish something for Lord and we come up with a dozen excuses to why we cannot.  Gideon has The Angel of the Lord in front of him.  This is no ordinary Angel, He speaks as God, He is called Lord.  Gideon realizes this in verse 22 and declares, “oh no, Lord God!  I have seen the Angel of the Lord face to face!”  But when Gideon was given the task of leading Israel to defeat the Midianites he came up with every reason to why he couldn’t.  Here is what Gideon missed and what we miss so often.  God gave Gideon this huge challenge and did not say he had to do it on his own.  No the Angel of the Lord said, “But I will be with you”.  God gives us the task and gives us the ability.  He doesn’t ask you to accomplish something and not give you the ability it to carry it out, He qualifies the unqualified.  By doing so, you will not be able to say, “I did this”, no you will only be able to say, glory to God for He is mighty and has done a mighty thing.”  What has God called you to accomplish that you have made excuses not to do? Trust God today!  

Lord help us to trust you when you send us to accomplish your will.  Lord let us not be overwhelmed with our reasons why we can’t and let us see the opportunity to glorify you.  Lord help us obey you in everything.  Lord we trust you and you are mighty, nothing is impossible for you.  We thank you for everything you do in our lives, help to glorify you in everything we do and say!  Amen