Upsets

One thing you can always count on in the playoffs or a tournament are upsets.

Experts will look at a supposed mismatch and call one “the favorite”.

The other side given little hope of victory is referred to as “the underdog”.

Still, every now and then, the underdog winds up the victor.

Upsets are not confined to the world of sports.

The Bible reminds us time and again that the favorite does not always come out on top.

Probably the best example of this involves David and Goliath.

David was a young shepherd whereas Goliath was a giant of man and an experienced soldier.

In the moments leading up to their battle, no one standing by would have given David a chance.

What about Samson?

Samson once took on a Philistine army by himself armed with a jawbone.

No one would have given Samson a chance.

Both David and Samson emerged the victors because each had an advantage their opposition did not.

David and Samson each had God on their side.

Perhaps my favorite example from scripture involves a man named Gideon.

For years, the lives of the people of Israel were made miserable by the Midianites.

One day, God chose a man by the name of Gideon.

Gideon put together his own army to fight that of the Midianites.

32,000 men were assembled for this purpose.

But God told Gideon this was too many.

The number was reduced to ten thousand.

Again, God told Gideon this was too many.

Finally, the number of men under Gideon’s command was reduced to 300.

A small force would now take on an entire army.

An observer would not have given Gideon and his men a chance.

Yet God gave Gideon and his men the victory.

What stands out to me is that God reduced the number of Gideon’s men not once, but twice.

In today’s world we tend to associate size with success.

Bur God can do incredible things with small numbers.

He can do so with small groups of believers.

He can do so with individuals.

Judges 7:2 (NET) - The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men for me to hand Midian over to you. Israel might brag, ‘Our own strength has delivered us.’

1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NET) - But David replied to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves! For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will deliver you into our hand.”

Upsets in life still happen.

We just need to remember Who grants victory.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 18, 2019.

I will be back here on Friday, January 25, 2019