Date: 03-31-2021

Title: Less Is More

(S) cripture:
    Judges 7:1-8 (NLT2) So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.'” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. 4 But the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” 5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. 7 The LORD told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” 8 So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon.

(O) bservation:
    When Gideon wanted to drive out the Midianites, he called together all the warriors to go to battle with his. This was about 32,000 warriors. God began to reduce the size of the army so that the Israelites could not boast that they achieved the victory by their own strength. Gideons army was whittled down to 300 warriors, total. With this army and the Lord’s provision Gideon defeated the Midianites.

(A) pplication:
    I often wonder just how Gideon felt being told by God to battle a huge army but to do so with only 300 instead of 32,000 warriors in his army. Doesn’t make sense to me but in God’s economy often “less is more”. I am also aware that I often gather a much or as many as I can to accomplish what the Lord sets before me to do. That is my “go to” mode and I do so without consulting the Lord about what or how much I really need. The lesson here is that with the Lord, “less is more, and what he gives is always enough. Today I want to hear his voice and use what he provides for whatever is before me.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, teach me to trust in you and the resources you provide. Give me courage to trust that with you “less is more” and always enough. Amen