Mighty

 Judges 6:12 ESV

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valour.” 


This verse is prophetic. Gideon at this stage wasn't a particularly mighty man of valour: he was hiding out from his enemies. Yet the preincarnate Jesus called him what he would become.

When the old testament mentions 'the angel of the Lord', most theologians agree that it refers to Jesus before his first advent in Bethlehem. 'Angel' simply means Messenger. The angel of the Lord accepted worship where an ordinary angel never would have.

Maybe we think that if Jesus was to appear to us and to describe us as mighty men and women of valour, we'd be so much better than we are. Yet when we trust in him, he pours out his Holy Spirit upon us. God's Spirit is enough to empower us.

Gideon was by no means a perfect man. Yet God didn't hold his flaws against him. The Lord focused on the positive aspects of his character.

'Almighty Father, please don't hold our sins against us, but make us who you would have us to be. For your honour and praise, amen'.

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