You Have More Power Than You Think Series

YOU HAVE MORE POWER THAN YOU THINK (JUDGES 6:11-35)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, known for his opposition to Hitler, was imprisoned and executed in 1945. One of Bonhoeffer’s poems in prison is a masterpiece, revealing his fear, courage and faith in the face of unspeakable evil.

“Who am I?

Who am I? They often tell me

I would step from my cell’s confinement

calmly, cheerfully, firmly,

like a squire from his country-house.

Who am I? They often tell me

I would walk to my warders

freely and friendly and clearly,

as though it were mine to command.

Who am I? They also tell me

I would bear the days of misfortune

equably, smilingly, proudly,

like one accustomed to win.

Am I then really all that which other men tell of?

Or am I only what I know of myself,

restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,

struggling for breath, as though hands were compressing my throat,

yearning for colours, for flowers, for the voices of birds,

thirsting for words of kindness, for neighbourliness,

trembling with anger at despotisms and petty humiliation,

tossing in expectation of great events,

powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance,

weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making,

faint, and ready to say farewell to it all?

Who am I? This or other?

Am I one person today, and tomorrow another?

Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,

and before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling?

Or is something within me still like a beaten army,

fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?

Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.

Whoever I am, thou knowest, O God, I am thine.”

(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison 347-48, New York: Touchstone edition, 1997)

After Deborah had died (Judg 5:31), the Israelites were again oblivious and blind to the obvious. They reversed to the old cycle or pattern of evil and idolatry (Judg 3:7, 3:12, 4:1, 10:6, 13:1), so the consequences were accelerated. The enemies were not the Canaanites now, but the Midianites that were known for their cruel brand of oppressiveness (Judg 6:2), so ruthless that Israel had to take to and hide in the mountain clefts, caves and strongholds for the first time. The Midianites invaded, robbed and plundered whatever the Israelites had grown, so much so that no crop, livestock or spirit was left in Israel (Judg 6:3). The people were so downtrodden, defeated and discouraged that the word “impoverished” (v 6) made its debut in the Bible. Not only were they impoverished, they were so or greatly impoverished. Again they cried unto the Lord as and whenever that happens, victory was assured (Judg 3:9, 3:15, 10:10). The Israelites exited the house of bondage in Egypt (Judg 6:9) but they were never free until they learn to listen and obey the lord. God used an insignificant person to overthrow the stranglehold of the Midianites, but also break the spell of sin within the family, deliver a community from apostasy and turn the nation from false idols to true worship.

What kind of people does God use to accomplish His purpose? Why does God choose to do His work in us instead of do the work by himself? How does He demonstrate His power through them?

God Uses People Who Are Lowly

11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” 13 “But sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.” 14 The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?” 15 “But Lord,” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” 16 The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.” (Judg 6:11-16)

A man tells of a lesson of the “heart” he learns from his little 10-year old daughter, Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot and wears a brace all the time. She came home one beautiful spring day to tell her father she had competed in “field day,” that's where they have lots of races and other competitive events.