By Staff
Who gets God's help? The answer is everybody.
Even the most arrogant disclaimer of God survives only by God's mercy (Lamentations 3:22). God told the wicked King Belshazzar that his next breath was in God's hand to give or take away at His pleasure (Daniel 5:23).
Many claim they do not need God. They proceed to do whatever they plan to do and seem to be successful. It is possible to go through life, exercise power, accumulate things, look successful, and not even give God a nod. But, the whole time we seem to be “getting on” in the world, God is laughing at us (Psalm 2:1-4).
We must conclude that everybody is getting help from God, but are there those who God takes to a level far beyond any human ability or endeavor? The answer is yes.
The Bible has countless stories of people who were not seeking notoriety nor greatness, but God stepped in, took care of them, and accomplished great things for His glory.
Perhaps the biggest challenges God has are: (1) finding humble people who will go along with Him and His plan, and (2) having those same people not getting a big head about what God is doing with them.
God is continually looking for people with loyal hearts toward Him (2 Chronicles 16:9); that is, people who are intent on God getting the credit for accomplishments.
Moses was a man who seemed content on the backside of the desert. God called him and seemed to have to prop him up in every way to use him (Exodus, chapters 3-4). God said that Moses was the meekest man of all the men on earth at that time (Numbers 12:3).
The Apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians, chapter 1, verse 26, “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” We must conclude that God delights in taking those who do not aspire to greatness and making them great.
Who gets God's help? It seems like the least likely qualify most. Gideon was such a man. Israel was under the oppression of the Midianites (Judges 6). Gideon was hiding in an enclosed winepress threshing wheat so he would not be seen by the marauding Midianites.
The Angel of the LORD came to Gideon and said to him in Judges, chapter 6, verse 12, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” What did God see that we do not? We see a situation that looks absurd-this guy processing Who gets God's help? Everybodywheat where wind is the key factor in an enclosed space.
We would quickly pass Gideon by, shaking our heads.
Gideon saw nothing in himself worthy of God's attention. He told God he was the least in his father's house (Judges 6:15). God pressed the issue. Gideon was so timid, fearful, and tentative that God had to confirm the mission and His involvement four times: the fire from the rock (Judges 6:21), the wet fleece on the dry ground (Judges 6:37), the dry fleece on the wet ground (Judges 6:40), and the proclaimed dream of the Midianite (Judges 7:13-15).
God did not seem to get impatient as he shaped Gideon for the mission. God worked through Gideon, brought a great victory, and God received the glory, because Gideon was so diminutive and the army of men was so small. God helped Gideon.
Who gets God's help? King Saul did while he was humble, but when Saul's heart grew proud, God left him (1 Samuel 15:17). King Uzziah did until he became independent of God (2 Chronicles 26:15).
So what should we do? We must never claim that we are or have anything in and of ourselves. We must hold everything loosely. Walk in dependence on God.
There was one extraordinary life: Jesus Christ. All the rest of us live ordinary lives with the possibility of some extraordinary moments at God's hand.