Just Get It Done

Verse of the day: Judges 7:24, Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the mountains of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites, and seize from them the watering places as far as Beth Barah and the Jordan.”

As we read Gideon’s story and how God uses him, we can learn much about how we need to serve the Lord. The fact of the matter is that there will be times when God will put it on our hearts to serve Him in a certain way, and accomplish certain things, but people will not make themselves readily available to help us, at first. The percentage of “cheerleaders” compared to the percentage of people who will get “down and dirty” with us is usually much greater. Nonetheless, we must always remember that regardless of how many join us, it is always God who will enable us and get us through whatever mission He sends us on. One of the greatest advantages that Satan and his demons have over us, God’s children, is that they are organized and work together. On the other hand, we expend more energy, and waste more time, being at odds with each other and failing to minister to, and with, one another, that it is truly often a miracle that the church gets anything accomplished for the LORD. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 reminds us that even though there is one body, we make up that body, and each one of us has a different function that is beneficial to the whole. These verses read, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.” Every one of us who is a born again Christian should be serving the Lord in some manner that will bless the local church and those around us. Our ministry is not limited to the inside of the local church building. Our ministry should extend to our personal, social, and work lives as well. We can partner with other Christians we know personally or at work to spread the Gospel and be witnesses for Christ. Although many initially went home when given the opportunity, and others who were willing were disqualified by God, this did not discourage Gideon from going forward and carrying out the mission God called him to. The reality of life walking with, and serving, the Lord is that not many will partner with us or be willing to sacrifice their time and resources in order to serve with us. This is why we must, as individuals, surrender our lives and serve God faithfully, not based on who joins us, but solely on the fact that we have been separated, in Christ, for God’s purposes and glory (Ephesians 2:10). Later, after Gideon and the 300 men initiated the battle and began to gain victory, Gideon called on others to join him in battle. This was not a lack of faith on Gideon’s behalf, and he did not doubt that God could not finish what He had already started in giving Israel the victory. Gideon was simply calling others to join in the blessing of seeing victory in the LORD. This was actually a move, on Gideon’s part, that promoted unity and exhortation among the people. Hebrews 10:24-25 says to us, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Gideon could have been selfish in his thinking, and chosen not to call the late-comers to enjoy the spoils of victory over the enemy since they had not been willing to do all the hard work up front. However, he chose the better approach so that in the end God would receive the greatest glory. The only way that we, as the church, will see truly great things accomplished for the LORD is to be united in our mission to evangelize the world, and lead the lost to Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).