Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But 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. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 

Gideon brought his army of 32,000 men to the Spring of Harod to rest before battle.

And God said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.” (Judges 7:2)

So Gideon dismissed any warrior who was afraid or weak. 22,000 warriors went home.

“There are still too many!” God said. “Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.”

At the spring, 300 men cupped the water in the hands and lapped it with their tongues. The others knelt down, plunged their faces in, and drank directly from it.

“With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.”

God’s plan and God’s power working through God’s 300 people defeated 135,000 enemy soldiers for God’s glory.

“My power is made perfect in weakness.”

In our greatest weakness, God’s power is most visible.

Reflection

• What is my weakness today? Where am I outnumbered and outmatched?

Our Prayer

Almighty God, we are outnumbered today.

We bring You our too-little wisdom and love, our too-big problems and enemies and beg you to fight for us. Use our weakness for Your glory today.

With Your power do Your will through Your people.

Amen.