Bitten!
The other week I visited a friend and sat in their garden in a ‘social distancing’ manner. It was warm and so I was in shorts and t-shirt. I could feel a small insect on one of my leg which I brushed off, but it was too late... I had been bitten!
During the course of the evening I could feel the leg becoming itchier, and by the time I got home the area was red and swelling, so I applied some appropriate cream.
The next few days I was in some mild pain and discomfort, and I thought to myself how can such a little insect bite have such an affect me, a fully grown adult?
This got me thinking how sometimes I can view myself as so small that I wonder if I really can make a difference? This led me to some of the Bible stories where God was at work at times like this.
In the Old Testament, Israel faced a vast imposing army of the Midianites. God asked a man called Gideon to assemble an army to face them, but he asked for something most unusual...
“‘You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, “My own strength has saved me.” Now announce to the army, “Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.”’ So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.”
It didn’t stop there, as God went through another filtering process leaving just 300 soldiers! With these handful of troops God stepped in and brought about a great victory for Israel!
You see the thing is this... it doesn’t matter how small you think you are, when you have God on your side the odds are different! The key is to be obedient to whatever God calls you to do.
So, my friends, don’t think of yourself as insignificant, with God on your side amazing things can and will happen...
Also, why not check out our live stream service every Sunday at 10:30am, simply go to www.hopebasingstoke.org/livestream
Stay safe
God bless
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader