Good day dear friends. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to all. May this be indeed a day of true love for us all as we bask in the love of God.
Tuesday: Read Judges 4:1-10. In this passage we find a woman who honored and served the Lord. Her life was one that inspired others to honor and serve but in these verses we find some who are afraid to honor and serve on their own. Sometimes we can honor and serve the Lord better by doing it with someone else. Re-read the passage and identify with either the woman or the man. Pray that God would help you team up to honor and serve Him!
Here is that text: 4:1 The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, after E'hud died. 2 So the LORD sold them into the hand of King Ja'bin of Ca'naan, who reigned in Ha'zor; the commander of his army was Sis'era, who lived in Haro'sheth-ha-goi'im. 3 Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years. 4 At that time Deb'orah, a prophetess, wife of Lap'pidoth, was judging Israel. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deb'orah between Ra'mah and Beth'el in the hill country of E'phraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Bar'ak son of Abin'oam from Ke'desh in Naph'tali, and said to him, "The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you, "Go, take position at Mount Ta'bor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naph'tali and the tribe of Zeb'ulun. 7 I will draw out Sis'era, the general of Ja'bin's army, to meet you by the Wadi Ki'shon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.'" 8 Bar'ak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." 9 And she said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sis'era into the hand of a woman." Then Deb'orah got up and went with Bar'ak to Ke'desh. 10 Bar'ak summoned Zeb'ulun and Naph'tali to Ke'desh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deb'orah went up with him.
What a team! A daring, obedient, trusting servant of the Lord and a military leader reluctant to fight. The daring, obedient, trusting one was Deborah, the female judge of Israel, and the reluctant military leader was Barak (no, they didn't name the place where soliders sleep after him, though it might not be a bad idea!). As the judge, Deborah could and did give the order for them to honor God in fighting this battle. Barak said he would go, but only if she would go with him. Keep in mind the order had come from God and with that order had come the promise of victory. How many times have we been assured in our spirits of a victory for the Lord yet we are reluctant or unwilling to go and do as God has asked? The honor belongs to God and God will be honored in our responses to His call to serve. And sometimes we do have to go as a team or in partnership with others, and this was also modeled by Jesus when He sent out disciples two by two.
If you read carefully this entire chapter you will see where God gave the victory to the army but to Barak God gave the opposing general to "the hand of a woman." The work was still done and God won the entire victory and God was honored. Yet the fullness of the honor would have been greater had Barak trusted God like he should.
What has God asked of you? Are there things "pending" that could honor God? Are you reluctant to obey? Are you limiting God's ability to work through you in whatever you believe needs to be done? This is a great story to inspire us to honor and serve God. Notice no one limited the ability to serve God based on preconceived notions of what one sex can do or can't do; those who obey God can achieve all things. To honor and serve the Lord means to take God at His word and do all that is asked of us.
PRAYER: Lord, let me honor you today. Speak lovingly to my heart as You reveal to me where I should serve You. Give me the courage and obedience of Deborah. If I feel scared or shy, give me a "Deborah" that can be a part of a team to honor and serve You. I pray in Christ Jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
