A Few Good Men
(And Not the Movie!)
Written by Guest Blogger
Carlston “Red” Berry
(Used by Permission)
Judges 7
God said, "Gideon! Gideon! You have too many men,
And I cannot be glorified if you take all of them.
Most are cowards, anyway, and this is how you'll know;
Tell everyone who fears to fight that he is free to go."
He got the men together and passed the word along;
No sooner had he spoken than most of them were gone.
Of more than thirty thousand assembled on the plain,
When asked to show their colors, just one-third remained.
"But still you have too many," Jehovah spoke again,
"Take them to the water, and there you'll see my plan.
Release all those who kneel to drink and satisfy their thirst;
Give me the men who stand and lap, for they are soldiers first."
He took them to the water and told them there to drink,
And as he watched with baited breath, his heart began to sink.
It seemed that when they finished, there would not be a man
Who stood to drink his water with his weapon in his hand.
But God who works by remnants had a chosen few that day --
Three hundred of ten thousand were qualified to stay.
"By these men will I save you; let all the rest go home,
For it is through my chosen ones that mighty works are done."
"But God, I am so fearful, and these men are so few!
We fight against a multitude --- what are we to do?"
"Although it may sound strange to you," God comforted His man,
"I have them all surrounded and delivered to your hand."
"The weapons for this battle you have never used before;
With trumpets, lamps, and pitchers you will enter into war!
I warned them in their dreams that they will surely know defeat,
Blow the trumpets, smash the pitchers, and the victory is complete."
So Gideon's tiny army carried out the Lord's command;
Midian's soldiers killed each other, then retreated from the land.
In the forty years that followed there was quietness and rest,
Because a faithful remnant stood for God and passed the test.
Though we fight against a multitude like Midian of old,
The victory's not in numbers, as Gideon was told.
What it takes is faithful soldiers -- just a remnant, one of ten,
And God will give the victory, even now as He did then.
So the question is within you, there's no need to look around,
Do you drink your water standing, or kneeling on the ground?
Have you cast your armor from you? Will you now run away?
Or are you in God's remnant --- do you plan to stay?
Copyright by Carlston "Red" Berry ©
(Used by Permission)