Gideon had reduced his army to three hundred, as the Lord instructed him; but, when he gazed from the slopes of Gilead upon the hosts of the Midianites encamped in the valley below, he still felt some misgivings about the forthcoming battle. So God said to him, Go down into the camp of the enemy, and thou shalt hear what they say. (Judges 7:11.) With his ear close to the tent of the Midianites, Gideon heard one tell to his fellow his dream of the barley loaf which tumbled down the hill and knocked over the tent, and his interpretation of it: This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon ... for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. When Gideon heard that, he worshiped and returned to his army, to whom he said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian! Thou shalt hear what they say! We hear what they say to us—what they say in criticism of the Church, in hostility or derision or bitterness, but not what they say among themselves, in their own camp. Would that we might lie quietly by the tents of this world and hear what they think and say! Could we but hear what they think and say of some noble and guileless Christian character; could we but hear their anxious misgivings for the tomorrow of a life without God; could we but see their blank despair as they stand by the grave of one they have loved; could we but hear the restless tossing of their remorse; could we but hear their secret verdict about the ultimate victory of the Kingdom of God— like Gideon, we should worship and return to our posts full of joy and confidence; for we should then know how true it is that the sword of the Lord is also the sword of the Church.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 02:02:45 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015