Today's Devotional
November 17, 2006
Subject: One More Thing To Weed Them Out
Judges 7:2 - "And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me."
The temperatures dipped down into the 30's last night in and around my home of Tomball, Texas and whereas there are normally 5 or 6 people at the gym at 4 a.m., this morning there was only one other guy and me. I used to look around and say to myself, "these are the dedicated few," but time and circumstances seem to really weed out the truly dedicated.
The story of Gideon as told in the 7th chapter of Judges (read 7:2-7) is a good one to see how God can sift through people to see who is really committed to His cause. The same process that He put Gideon through is the same one He uses for us today. Ever notice how when it rains there are a few more empty seats at church? How about when the holidays come and relatives come into town? I've heard people who said that they couldn't make it because they were having company. I wonder if they ever thought that God was expecting them to be His company at that same time.
The weather, relatives, a stomach-ache or any other illegitimate excuse is really just another way for us to be identified as people who are not truly committed to the living God.
Today if God has given you the opportunity, there is no good excuse for not worshipping Him. Like my fellow gym-mate this morning, be one of the dedicated few.
