Standing in Our Places

Last week, I read the great story of Gideon in Judges 7, and it reminded me of us. Us meaning me and you who are reading this blog. In a nutshell, Gideon is going to battle the Midianites and has gathered an army of 32,000. But the Lord tells Gideon to send some of the men home. Gideon is then left with 10,000 men. God leads him through another selection process until his army is reduced to 300 men.

300 men is not a lot against the host of Midianites which were "like grasshopper" covering the valley. And yet, God said, "by the 300... will I save you, and deliver the Midianites unto thine hand."  (Judges 7:7)

And He did it. How? God had arranged some things in advance to spook the Midianites and then all the men had to do was follow His instructions. "And they stood every man in his place..."  (Judges 7:21)

I realize that our numbers are small compared to the dominant cultural views about birth in America. I also realize that many passionate people have been fighting for change in the maternity care system in America for a long time, with only a little progress. However, as seen in Judges 7, a very small number of people, "standing in our places," and guided by God, can change everything:

"And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled." (Judges 7:21)