Weak instruments in God's hands

Watoto Children's Choir - January 2013 (Photo ©V. Nesdoly)

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Psalm 8:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength
Because of Your enemies
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger." Psalm 8:2

I wonder what experience in David's life prompted the profound statement "Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength." Perhaps one of his toddlers joined him in song while he was playing his harp, or sang the accompaniment of an instrument improvised out of twigs and yarn?

David draws our attention to something God does quite a lot in the Bible—use weak instruments and people to get things done:

• He empowered Moses' rod - Exodus 4:2

• He had Gideon trim his army to a mere 300 men and take into battle with them only trumpets, flares and pitchers - Judges 7:16-22.

• Samson killed 1000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey - Judges 15:15.

• Saul, Israel's first king, came from the smallest family of the smallest tribe of Benjamin - 1 Samuel 9:21.

• Jonathan witnessed to God's ability to get victory "by many or by few" - 1 Samuel 14:6.

• David used five stones to go against Goliath - 1 Samuel 17:40.

• God preserved His prophet with the widow's handful of flour and a little oil - 1 Kings 17:12.

• Paul reminds us:

 "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are  that no flesh should glory in His presence" - 1 Corinthians 1:27-28.

So if you and I feel small, insignificant, weak, we may be just the improbable vessels God will use to accomplish what He wants done in His kingdom.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for using weak, unlikely instruments and people to do Your work. Thank you for reminding me of that through the praises of children. Help me to remember that Your presence in me is the secret of success in everything I do. Amen.

MORE: Watoto Children's Choir - "I Am Not Forgotten"

The Watoto choir made up of orphans from Uganda shows how God uses the praise of children. (Read the Watoto story.)

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.