Daily Devotional
Are You Low Enough for God to Use?

December 16, 2021

Ponder This

Gideon was on the threshing floor after the Midianites had invaded the land. He was threshing wheat in the back side, in a corner, afraid that he might be seen by the Midianites and that they might come and pounce on him. Suddenly, an angel of Jehovah appeared to him, and the angel addressed him as a “mighty man of valor.”

Now, if there’s anything Gideon was not it was a mighty man of valor. Gideon was a chicken with a capital C. Not only did the angel call Gideon a mighty man of valor; he also told Gideon that the Lord would use him to deliver Israel from Midian.

Gideon responded by reminding the angel that his family was the poorest in Manasseh and that he was the least in his father’s house. What he was saying was this: “Of all the tribes in Israel, Manasseh is the worst. Of all the families in Manasseh, my family is the poorest. Of all the kids in the family, I’m the runt of the litter.” He was saying, “You have gotten to the bottom of the barrel. You can’t use me.” But I believe God was thinking, “You’re just about low enough that I can use you.” From this point, God took a nobody general with a nothing army and defeated the Midianites. As a result, God got the glory.

• Where have you told yourself or God that He can’t use you because of your weakness?
• How does Gideon’s story remind you that God wants to use you because of your weakness?

Practice This

Make a list of ways you regularly feel weak. Ask God to use you in your areas of weakness so He might be glorified by displaying His strength.