Tag: significance

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Somebody

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by The Jopwell Collection on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Judges 6.

God says to Gideon, “Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian” (Judges 6:14).

Gideon responds, “O Lord, how am I to save Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (6:15). In other words, “How am I going to do that? I’m nobody.” God says, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be with you.”

Never underestimate the value of someone who says, “I’ll go with you.” To the doctor. To the funeral home. To lunch. To the store. Suddenly, you’re somebody. And so are they.

God has always been “somebody” to me. But how often do I think about me being “somebody” to God? When I pray, he listens – to me. When I’m reading scripture, he is speaking – to me. He created everything, and he created me.

I don’t have to work that hard to be somebody. I already am.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

God counts. And so do you.

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Austris Augusts on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Numbers 1.

“Numbers” is an appropriate title for the fourth book of the bible as God instructs Moses to “Take a census” (Numbers 1:2).

I’m a math guy. I like numbers, equations, statistics, calculations, and graphs. I love the truth that God is a math guy, too. God counts things.

  • “Does [God] not see my ways, and count all my steps? (Job 31:4)
  • “The Lord will count when He registers the peoples” (Psalm 87:6).
  • “[God] counts the number of the stars” (Ps. 147:4).
  • “Even the hairs of your head are all counted” (Matthew 10:30).

This census of Israel is impressive. It reveals an impressive fighting force, “all in Israel who are able to go to war” (Numbers 1:3). It’s not going to be easy. God will give them the victory, but they will have to fight. And it’s not just physical. It’s the “good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). You’ll need armor to take a stand (Ephesians 6:13). Christian soldiers march onward into war, right?

I’m just one person on a planet where eight billion people live. And yet I am not just a number. I am somebody. God knows my name. He listens to my prayer. I count. I matter. I’m important enough that he sent his son Jesus to die for me.

One of the most important things you can do is let someone know they’re important. They matter. They count. Always start with that, before you tell them they matter to God. Make it real.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Just another amazing day

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 45.

You have to blame somebody, right? Your parents, noisy neighbors, politicians, the kids, lawyers, greedy CEOs, a spouse (current or ex), the liberals, the conservatives. Whoever.

Joseph says, “It was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:8).

After what his brothers did to him? They sold him to a passing caravan. He ended up as a slave, a prisoner, and finally got a decent job in Egypt working for Pharaoh.

But it wasn’t home. And it wasn’t his family. And it was out of his control.

But in hindsight, it was God. God was to blame. Or God gets the credit for working out a long range plan to save not just Joseph, but his whole family. In hindsight, it was only something God could do.

“Today” may seem to have little rhyme or reason. Purpose is often shrouded in everyday routines, chores, and appointments. What a blessing to stop and realize that God’s been working on “today” for a long time. It’s significant. It’s memorable. And it’s praiseworthy.