Mighty Warrior 大能的勇士

[Dexu Xia]

The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.  Judges 6:12

Diet Eman was an ordinary, shy young woman in the Netherlands—in love, working, and enjoying time with family and friends—when the Germans invaded in 1940. As Diet (pronounced Deet) later wrote, “When there is danger on your doorstep, you want to act almost like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.” Yet Diet felt God calling her to resist the German oppressors, which included risking her life to find hiding places for Jews and other pursued people. This unassuming young woman became a warrior for God.

We find many stories in the Bible similar to Diet’s, stories of God using seemingly unlikely characters to serve Him. For instance, when the angel of the Lord approached Gideon, he proclaimed, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12). Yet Gideon seemed anything but mighty. He’d been secretly threshing wheat away from the prying eyes of the Midianites, who oppressively controlled Israel at the time (vv. 1–6, 11). He was from the weakest clan of Israel (Manasseh) and the “least” in his family (v. 15). He didn’t feel up to God’s calling and even requested several signs. Yet God used him to defeat the cruel Midianites (see ch. 7).

God saw Gideon as “mighty.” And just as God was with and equipped Gideon, so He’s with us, His “dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1)—supplying all we need to live for and serve Him in little and big ways.

Who are some other Bible characters God used despite their weakness to accomplish much for Him? How has God moved you outside your comfort zone to serve Him?

God, I’m so thankful You don’t see me as I see myself. Help me to see myself as Your dearly loved child capable of doing big and small things in service to You.

 大能的勇士啊，耶和华与你同在。—士师记6章12节

狄恩 · 伊曼（Diet Eman）是一位平凡而害羞的年轻女士。当德军在1940年入侵荷兰时，她正在谈恋爱，有一份工作，享受与亲友相处的快乐时光。后来，她写道：“当大难临头时，你会想要像驼鸟一样，把头埋在沙土里。”然而，狄恩却感到上帝的心意是要她抵抗德国人的暴虐统治，甚至冒着生命危险为犹太人及其他被追捕的人寻觅藏身之处。这位原本不起眼的年轻女士成了上帝的勇士。

圣经也记载上帝使用一些不起眼的人来事奉祂。就如耶和华的使者向基甸显现并对他说：“大能的勇士啊，耶和华与你同在！”（士师记6章12节）可是当时的基甸看来却绝不像大能的勇士。在以色列人遭米甸人欺压时期，他为了不让米甸人发现，便偷偷在醡酒池打麦子（1-6、11节）。他来自最弱小的玛拿西支派，而他也是家里最微小的（15节）。面对上帝的呼召，他深感力有不逮，甚至多次求上帝的印证。但最后，上帝却使用他击败残暴的米甸人（参阅第7章）。

上帝将基甸视为“大能的勇士”。正如上帝与基甸同在并装备他，同样地，上帝也与我们这些“蒙慈爱的儿女”（以弗所书5章1节）同在，并供应我们所需的一切，使我们能为祂而活，并在各样大小事上服事祂。

上帝还使用哪些看似软弱的圣经人物为祂成就大事？
上帝如何让你离开舒适区来事奉祂？

上帝啊，感谢祢看我不像我看自己。帮助我看自己如同祢亲爱的儿女，有能力在各样大小事上服事祢。