~~~ Judges 6:11-24a ~~~ Psalm 85 ~~~ Matthew 19:23-30 ~~~
...for God all things are possible.
An angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon as he
was working in the wheat field.
The angel instructed Gideon to go and save Israel from the Midians.
Gideon had huge doubts about this message.
He never dreamed of himself as a leader in battle.
...for God all things are possible.
He goes on to explain to the angel that he and his father
are of no consequence.
They are merely going about their daily tasks.
I am the most insignificant in my father’s house.
Gideon must have been shaking in his boots...
first an angel is speaking to him and now he is being told
to save his people.
So he asks for some form of confirmation.
Is this really coming from God?
Perhaps I should bring an offering and place it here before God.
Surprisingly the angel agrees to wait for Gideon's return.
The Lord accepts Gideon's offering consuming it in flames of fire.
...for God all things are possible.
We hear Jesus telling his disciples today
that those who are last will be first and those
who are first will be last.
You can find favor with God
whether you have been born into poverty or if
you have chosen the way of poverty.
Yesterday the good young man could not
make the choice to rid himself of his possessions.
He turned and walked away from Jesus.
Today in contrast we have the apostles
who walked away from their livelihood to follow Jesus.
Wealth is not evil in and of itself;
it just may be a hindrance if we want to follow Jesus.
It has everything to do with our attitude.
Jesus is promising if you walk away
from your earthly possessions you will be rewarded in heaven.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
Blessings come to us in unsuspecting ways...
The Lord comes to us when we are going about our daily duties.
It is the Lord himself who works wonders
through those he selects, as was the case for Gideon.
I invite you to be open to wherever the Lord may lead you.
Have no fear or doubt.
...for God all things are possible.
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