A wise person said: “If you only attempt what you know you can achieve, it will not be clear that God did it. When everyone knows that you could never have achieved it, God gets the glory.”

How often we face an apparently impossible situation! Friends tell us that it is unlikely to see a breakthrough. Our faith in God is stretched. 

Christian churches face apparent decline, and we wonder what can be done with less members and resources. It can be discouraging. 

I have been thinking of Gideon in the last few days. This First Covenant leader faced big problems but with God the outcome was a breakthrough. In fact, God did not want Gideon and the people to trust in their own strength, so the numbers were reduced, so that the victory would redound to God’s glory. Read about it in Judges 7. When I feel a bit discouraged in facing an apparent impossibility, I often think of Gideon. We follow the God of Gideon, who contended against the false god Baal – and won the victory.

This week I was reminded of Gideon again – from a new archeological discovery. A jug from that era has been discovered, with the name JeruBaal on it – Gideon’s nickname. It is very possible that this is actually a pot that belonged to none other than this famous character. Another reminder of the powerful lesson of the God of Gideon.