God's Strange Requests

Growing in Prayer
Lesson Three: The Bible's Oddest Prayers

The Lord visited Gideon and called him, "mighty warrior." But Gideon protested that he was the least of his family and his tribe was the least of the tribes of Israel. It didn't matter . . . God had a plan for Gideon to defeat the invading Midianites. An odd plan, but one that worked.

Similarly, we can call upon God's strength when we face overwhelming odds.

A few hundred years later, the Babylonians threatened Judah and the nation was about to fall. But God told the prophet Jeremiah to buy a field from his cousin. Considering Jerusalem and the surrounding lands were soon to be destroyed, the command to purchase land seems rather odd. But Jeremiah's legal contract foreshadowed the future prosperity of Judah. The land would be restored.

Gideon and Jeremiah trusted God and obeyed His Word.

Like Gideon, we can depend on God's strength to see us through overwhelming times.

Like Jeremiah, we can put our hope in God's promise of a divine future.

Some people think God does not like to be troubled with out constant asking.

The way to trouble God is not to come at all.

Dwight L. Moody