 |
|
|
December 22 When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, “Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.” And his friend answered and said, “This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.” Judges 7:13,14. We do not realize how God can use the most simple of things. Barley bread was largely used by the poor—it was a coarse, affordable bread that was easily made. We cannot comprehend a loaf of barley bread causing a tent to fall, so there must be something of God in this dream. God always chooses the humble things of this earth to illustrate His power. Gideon understood all of this and he went on in faith to conquer the Midianites. We need only to turn to the New Testament, in John 6:9, to see that a little boy had barley bread that was used to feed the 5000. Also in 2 Kings 4:42-44 Elisha fed 100 soldiers and the crowd with 20 loaves of barley bread—and had some left over. Yes, God loves to take what we consider as inadequate, multiply it and turn it into an example of His glorious grace. All that we need to do is to dedicate our offering to Him and give Him the praise. My friends, do you often think that you have nothing to offer. God can use your most simple effort, as long as it is dedicated to His service. He is not looking for pomp and ceremony, nor extravagance. He only wants the offering of your heart as you prepare to submit to His will. From your viewpoint the offering may seem too small or unimportant, but God will bless you beyond measure when your offering is from your heart. Thank You, Father, for making all of this true. We need only watch in wonder as You use our meager offerings. You are the great supplier of all our needs and the leader that we are to follow. Amen. |
