Have you ever heard the saying “Too much of a good thing?” When Gideon gathered troops together to attack the camp of Midian, the Lord said, “The troops with you are too many…” so Gideon sent home those who were fearful and/or trembling. Then the Lord said, “The troops are still too many; take them down to the water and I will sift them out for you there.” The Lord reduced the number of mustered troops to a mere 300, and then told Gideon to attack the Midianite camp. And Gideon split the three hundred into three groups of a hundred to ‘attack’ the enemy camp. Just think about it! God gave the victory over an entire army with only 300 warriors.
Several members have recently expressed concern about attendance numbers. “We need to grow. We are losing the numbers game. What are you doing about it, preacher?” When Gideon was tasked with defeating the Midian army, God intentionally reduced the numbers to ensure He received the credit for the victory and not the Israelites. Gideon’s task was to have faith and just do as he was told, no matter how impractical or implausible it appeared. If our heart is right with God, and our faith is true, our numbers do not matter. God will provide abundantly according to His will and the measure of our faith.
So, let’s focus not on numbers but on our heart’s true desire, changing our lives to be more like Him, following the example Jesus set before us, and loving everyone unconditionally. God will handle the numbers. After all, He’s an expert on taxes.
Grace & Peace, Charles.