Day 75

God Uses Imperfect People

Read: Judges 6-8

Throughout the Bible, God uses people, imperfect people, because no other kind are available. But the imperfections are a hindrance. Gideon had his faults. He was very reluctant to be God’s instrument. As we have opportunity to serve the Lord, let us not hold back. Later Gideon made a golden ephod. We cannot be sure what the ephod was, but in any case, it became an object of false worship.

Yet Gideon also had good points. He was reluctant to serve, but he did serve. He was courageous, breaking down the image of the false god Baal. He was obedient, getting rid of the large army and ending with only 300 men, so that God could show that the victory was not by human might but by God’s grace and power. And he refused to become king, realizing that this would be seeking to bring glory to himself instead of to God.

There are important lessons in the fact that God uses imperfect people like Gideon. It should make us less critical of pastors and lay leaders in the church. It should make us realize that God can use us whatever our failures. But, on the other hand, this must never make us complacent about our weaknesses. God may use us in spite of our faults, but we would be more useful if we, with God’s help, got rid of them. The Spirit of God came upon Gideon. That same Holy Spirit lives in us to make us more holy.

PRAYER
Father, we praise you for graciously using imperfect people. Take away faults that hinder our usefulness to you and your kingdom. In Christ. Amen.