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MADE FOR THIS MOMENT: DEBORAH

Faith and Faithfulness

READY

“Barak told her (Deborah), ‘I will go, but only if you go with me.’ ‘Very well,’ she replied, ‘I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.’ So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.”--Judges 4:8-9

SET

Israel was in familiar territory. The people of God had dismissed Him and told Him they didn’t need Him. They had it under control and believed they could rule themselves better than God could, ignoring all He’d done for them. So God gave them up to their desires, and the people were taken captive by Jabin, the king of Canaan, a foreign nation who oppressed them, taking everything from them. After twenty years, the Israelites had had enough and cried out to God for rescue. They needed a Savior.

During that time, God did not leave His people even though they’d turned their backs on Him. God sent a judge, His spokesperson, who would seek Him on behalf of the people. The people would come to the judge to help determine disagreements, conflicts, or anything where a judgment was needed. God raised up a woman named Deborah, who sought Him for wisdom and discernment, advocating for the people of Israel so they’d know God was with them. God heard the cries of His people, and He acted on their behalf.

Deborah heard God’s voice and acted. (Judges 4:6-7). She knew His voice and knew she could trust Him. She called Barak and commanded him to go to battle against Sisera, the captain of the king of Canaan’s army, a much stronger army than Israel’s, knowing that God would deliver their army into the hand of the Israelites. Deborah didn’t back down from asking Barak to do the hard thing because she knew God was faithful. He would rescue His people. Deborah’s faith to trust in the one true God and faithfulness to do what God asked of her led to Israel being rescued.

We need a rescuer to save us from our wayward hearts. We need a Savior. We find ourselves dismissing God, telling Him we don’t need Him, that we can do it better. And for a time, it may feel that way, but in the end, we are left bruised, battered, and crying out to God for help. God has heard these cries, and He acted. He sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from our self-sufficiency and outright rebellion against Him. Jesus, full of faith, knew that He came to die and was faithful to go to the cross on our behalf.

Jesus knew His Father’s voice, leaned into it, and did the hard thing. He died so that we might live. Now we can live lives full of faith and faithfulness because we have One who did it perfectly for us. We can rest in Jesus’ sacrifice for us, knowing God hears our cries and acts on our behalf.

GO

• What area of my life am I lacking faith in?
• Is God asking me to step into something challenging?
• Am I willing to do it, knowing He hears me and acts on my behalf?

WORKOUT

Judges 4:12-24

OVERTIME

Thank you, Jesus, for choosing to love me so much that You would die in my place so that I may have life with You forever. Thank You that Your faith and faithfulness give me hope.