Short Work

Judges 11:9-11

"So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon, and the LORD delivers them to me, shall I be your head?" And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The LORD will be a witness between us, if we do not do according to your words." Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD in Mizpah."

Looking to God rather than to man (most especially to himself) Jephthah acknowledges that the LORD delivers their enemies into their hands. This is really a striking difference in the way Jephthah and the elders of Israel approach the situation. This also reminds me of another future leader of God's chosen people, in that the foundation of his earthly confidence (naivete to the world), is in his humility before God.

1 Samuel 17:34-37

"But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine."

Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you."

Father, strengthen us and empower us. You've helped us with the bears and lions we face in our lives, we will do short work with these giants. May we be always humble before You that we may be confident towards the world; no matter how it sees us, You will prove us prudent and successful for Your will and glory. In Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.

~30.09.2013