Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking him to meet you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant warrior, but he was the son of a harlot. And Gilead was the father of Jephthah. Gilead’s wife bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You shall not have an inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob; and worthless fellows gathered themselves about Jephthah, and they went out with him.
It came about after a while that the sons of Ammon fought against Israel. When the sons of Ammon fought against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob; and they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our chief that we may fight against the sons of Ammon. Then Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and drive me from my father’s house? So why have you come to me now when you are in trouble? The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “For this reason we have now returned to you, that you may go with us and fight with the sons of Ammon and become head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.” So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back to fight against the sons of Ammon and the Lord gives them up to me, will I become your head?” The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The lord is witness between us; surely we will do as you have said.” Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord at Mizpah.
– Judges 11:1-11
Devotion
The Jephthah story shows that God often uses the most unlikely persons. As Israel continued to decline, the Lord had to turn to someone of questionable background and character to defend His people. But it is a reminder that it is not human pedigree but divine empowerment that brings success. Jephthah’s victories led him to be identified in the biblical roll call of faith (Heb. 11:32).
The Big Question
Sometimes we might shy away from opportunities to serve God because we fell that we are not qualified enough, or maybe that God can’t use an ordinary person like me. How does the story of Jephthah change this erroneous thinking?
Conclude in prayer and silence. Let God know that you are available to be used however, wherever, and whenever He chooses to use you.