How Big is Your Army?

I hope it's small.

Now you think that was rude or crazy or something don't you? ;)
Let me explain.

In Judges 7, Gideon, leader of the Israelite army, is preparing to fight the Midianites.
There are a lot of Midianites.
But Gideon had 32,000 men. So he was good. Right?

No, God told Gideon his army was too big.
So Gideon told everyone who was afraid, to leave.
22,000 left.
Now Gideon had 10,000 men. A lot less. Now he was good... right?

No, God told Gideon his army was still too big.
He told Gideon to take his men down to the water.
He said that some men would drink from cupped hands, lapping like dogs.
This would be his army.
The rest who got on their knees to drink would not.
300 men lapped the water like dogs.
Three. Hundred.

How do you think Gideon was feeling now?
Well let's recap.
He had 32,000 men to defeat the Midianites.
Now he has 300.
And there are a lot of Midianites.

See, as frustrating and scary as this probably was to Gideon, he chose to trust God.
When God made his army small, Gideon was forced to realize that God was the only one who could get him through this.

You can probably guess how the story ends.
The Israelites won the battle.

But maybe that's not a fair statement.
Maybe I should really say God won the battle.

See, God did all this for a reason.
He knew that if the Israelites had won with 32,000 men, they would boast that they won it by their own size and their own strength.
And, even though this would be comfortable for them, they would miss God in it.

But God is a smart guy.
He knew that if the Israelites won the battle with only 300 men, they would know that they only conquered the Midianites completely by the grace and power of God.
And, even though making the army so small this would be hard for them,
God knew that this was the only way they would find him in it.
He knew that this was the way his glory would be shown.

Now let's talk about your army.
And by your army, I mean your life.

If your life was perfect.
If your parents' (or your) marriage was perfect, if every relationship you had with anyone was good, if no one ever died, if you never got sick, if you never struggled,
your army would be big.
And, while this would be comfortable for us,
we'd miss God in it!

But I'm sure you've noticed, our lives are not perfect.
Our parents fight. Our friends aren't always friends. We lose people we love. We get sick. We get abandoned. We struggle.
Our armies are small.

And, as much as this hurts,
we are forced to realize that the only way we'll come out of this is by the grace and power of God.
So even though it's hard, we must choose to trust him.
Because God has promised to be faithful.
He has promised that, when the time is perfect, He will get us out.
And we are more than conquerors in him. (Romans 8:37)
When we see the victory,
we will know that it was God.

So, "Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands."
Judges 7:15