Daily Devotional

If you read through the Old Testament book of Judges, you will see the nation of Israel engage in a cyclical pattern where they engage in sin, are then punished for that sin, repent and cry out to God, and then God rescues them. This doesn’t happen once or even twice, but over and over and over again. The book of Judges is not only a lesson on the foolishness of man but also on the mercy and grace of God.

During one of these times of rebellion, God allowed the nation of Moab to conquer Israel. For 18 years they served Eglon, king of Moab. Finally, they come to their senses, cry out to God, and that’s where our story begins with God raising up a leader named Ehud.

Interestingly, the Bible points out that Ehud was a “left-handed man.” You can rest assured that just about any time the Bible points out a physical attribute like this, it is going to come into play in the story.

The story goes on to say that Ehud fashioned a sword about 18 inches long and straps it to his RIGHT hip. Being left-handed, this is the side that Ehud would draw a sword from. The majority of people are right-handed so they would wear a sword on their LEFT hip. When Ehud takes the tribute to Eglon, king of Moab, his guards only check his left hip for a sword…not too thorough. Long story short, Eglon ends up dead and Ehud rallies the people of Israel to fight against Moab.

We don’t know much about Ehud except for the fact that he was left-handed, and even that seemingly trivial characteristic was used by God. God has given you certain gifts and abilities; you were hard-wired to like and dislike certain things, to be good at and bad at certain things. All of this can be taken together and used for God and His Kingdom. Ephesians 2:10 promises us that God has prepared good works for each of us, and we are called to walk in them. You may not see how God can use you, but He can. Maybe it’s the fact that you are funny, or serious, or tall, or short, or right-handed, or left-handed, but somehow He can use you for His Kingdom.
 
Everything that is intentionally designed has a purpose to it, and this includes each of us. Psalm 139:13 says “You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” You may not know what your purpose is, but since you were intentionally made by God, you have one.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.