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WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: BROKEN VESSELS

In Judges chapter seven is the story of Gideon. We normally focus on the fact that God commanded Gideon to send most of his army home. He went from a large company of warriors down to three hundred men.

Something I noticed this time when reading was how large the company was against them. I realized always that there was a big army. It was the Midianites and the Amalekites, so basically two armies.

Judges 7:12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude.

That is a huge army to go to war against. God encouraged Gideon by sending him to listen in on his enemy.

Judges 7:13-15 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. 14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. 15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.

God sent fear into the enemy’s camp, long before Gideon ever assembled his army to go against them.

Judges 7:16-20 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.

They took their light with them, but it was hidden until they could get closer to the enemy. Then they collectively blew their trumpets and let their light shine.

Judges 7:21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

The entire army of Midianites and the Amalekites ran from Gideon’s men. Because with the help of the Lord they appeared to be mighty.

This made me think about our enemy and the people he is using to destroy as much of the world as possible. They do not want anything to do with Christian values, morality, decency, love or kindness. They have been overtaken by the enemy. Just as the Midianites and Amalekites were afraid of Gideon. You can be sure that our enemy and his foot soldiers are in great fear of us.

Satan knows if we ever come together the way the body of Christ should be, that God will use us to destroy him and his army. We have to be in unison. Notice God only took those who drank a certain way. They thought alike. We have to be in one mind and one accord.

Notice they took empty vessels and put lights in them, but the light didn’t shine until the vessels were broken. We as children of God are empty vessels until he puts his light within us. But we can never truly let our light shine until we yield to God in brokenness. We allow him to strip our pride and selfish motives, our judgmental attitudes and anything that is not of him. When we release the things he wants us to let go of then he can use our light to shine into the darkness.

God uses broken things and broken people. Every time we face something difficult, God is peeling away a little more of us. Which allows our light to shine a little brighter.

I read a story once, I don’t know who wrote it or I would give them credit. But there was a woman that had a pole that she carried two pots to her well to get water. One was perfect on the outside and held all the water within. One had some cracks in it and would leak water all along the path back to her house.

One day, the vessels that had been broken said to the woman, I am useless I don’t even know why you take me to the well. I have very little water left by the time we get back to the house.

The woman smiled and said, do you see the lovely flowers all along my path? They would not be there if you didn’t have broken places. How do you think you got the broken places to start with? that is what I needed in order to water my flowers.

We often feel like we are broken and useless. The enemy wants us to think that we have no purpose. But we can not spread beauty if we don’t allow God’s living water to flow out of us like that broken vessel. Being a light and allowing God to flow in our lives is not for the faint of heart. It takes great strength and courage to be vulnerable before God and before people. Looking weak to others is one of mankind’s greatest fears.

The next time the enemy tells you that you have nothing to contribute, that you have nothing to share, that you are worthless and not fit to do anything for God, remember the story of the little woman with the beautiful flowers along her path. Then, use your brokenness to let your light shine.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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