The Power of An Offering
Gideon replied, "If I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you." And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."
Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. . . . he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.
. . . Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. Judges 6:17-21
Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. . . . he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.
. . . Then the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. Judges 6:17-21
And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."
God appeared to Gideon and instructed him to lead Israel into battle against the Midianites who had suppressed and impoverished them for seven years. Things were so bad that the Israelites had to hide their food for fear of confiscation. What a sorry picture! God's mighty and blessed people were under the complete domination of their enemies in the land that was meant to bring them joy, prosperity, and abundance. Sin had reversed their spiritual and material fortunes.
Gideon found favor in the eyes of God as a divine instrument to bring an end to the Midianite repression. But Gideon saw himself as totally unqualified and inadequate. His position was: "but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." But God assured Gideon that his Presence would make all the difference so there was nothing to worry about! He was not going into battle in his own strength.
I invite you to ponder over these two thoughts:
First, your adequacy does not come from you but from God. Like Gideon, you might be the least in your family and your clan might be the weakest but God will give you the strength to accomplish the vision you have in your heart. God uses "foolish things" to confound the wise. The strength of God is perfected in our weakness, not in our strength. God aids the weak!
Second, never underestimate the power of your offering. Gideon was moved with gratitude to present an offering to God in recognition of the favor bestowed upon him. God's response to that offering is spiritually insightful: "I will wait until you return." That is the power of a genuine offering to God. A genuine offering will cause God to make time and "wait" for you.
There is an inexplicable release of divine favor when we give an offering to God. God's heart is touched when we recognize that our Talents, Time, and Treasures belong entirely to Him as an offering! It causes God to "wait" for us. God will "wait" and consume our sacrifice. He will "wait" and supply our needs. He will "wait" and empower us. He will "wait" and fight our battles.
Never underestimate the spiritual power of your offering! It will cause God to "wait" for you.
God appeared to Gideon and instructed him to lead Israel into battle against the Midianites who had suppressed and impoverished them for seven years. Things were so bad that the Israelites had to hide their food for fear of confiscation. What a sorry picture! God's mighty and blessed people were under the complete domination of their enemies in the land that was meant to bring them joy, prosperity, and abundance. Sin had reversed their spiritual and material fortunes.
Gideon found favor in the eyes of God as a divine instrument to bring an end to the Midianite repression. But Gideon saw himself as totally unqualified and inadequate. His position was: "but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." But God assured Gideon that his Presence would make all the difference so there was nothing to worry about! He was not going into battle in his own strength.
I invite you to ponder over these two thoughts:
First, your adequacy does not come from you but from God. Like Gideon, you might be the least in your family and your clan might be the weakest but God will give you the strength to accomplish the vision you have in your heart. God uses "foolish things" to confound the wise. The strength of God is perfected in our weakness, not in our strength. God aids the weak!
Second, never underestimate the power of your offering. Gideon was moved with gratitude to present an offering to God in recognition of the favor bestowed upon him. God's response to that offering is spiritually insightful: "I will wait until you return." That is the power of a genuine offering to God. A genuine offering will cause God to make time and "wait" for you.
There is an inexplicable release of divine favor when we give an offering to God. God's heart is touched when we recognize that our Talents, Time, and Treasures belong entirely to Him as an offering! It causes God to "wait" for us. God will "wait" and consume our sacrifice. He will "wait" and supply our needs. He will "wait" and empower us. He will "wait" and fight our battles.
Never underestimate the spiritual power of your offering! It will cause God to "wait" for you.
Prayer: Lord, I offer myself as a living sacrifice to you; my time, talents, and treasures. Amen.