Deborah

Friday, September 16, 2016

When there was a serious lack of leaders among the men of Israel, God raised up Deborah! She was a prophetess and judge. The Lord prompted her to call Barak to lead Israel’s army to break off the yoke of their oppressors, but Barak was hesitant and refused to go unless Deborah went with him. So she herself took charge. She went into battle; and that day God gave Israel a decisive and historic victory over their enemies (Judges 4; and read the Song of Deborah in Judges 5).^[1]

Prayer

Lord God, our Maker, thank you for always reminding us that you made us humans male and female. What brilliance! We are indeed privileged to be your creatures.

Thank you for using Deborah. What a blessing she must have been to her husband and family.

You put your Spirit upon her and made her a mighty leader. You blessed her and used her to inspire the general of Israel’s armies with courage!

O Lord, we need women like Deborah for the Muslim world: spiritual leaders (4:4, 6, 7, 14), civil and political leaders (4:4; 5:14-15), wives (4:4) and mothers (5:7) full of courage and resolve (4:9; 5:7), and women of the Word (5:1-31). Instead of the false notion that women are second-rate creatures made solely for man’s pleasure and for producing babies, you, O Lord, made them to be your instruments of blessing, nurture, stability and strength for the family and society.

Yes, Lord, we pray that through women like Deborah, you will cause the earth to tremble, the mountains to shake and the heavens to pour down blessings upon Muslim peoples and nations (5:4-5). In Jesus’ name.

Promise

“Lord, those who love you are like the sun rising in strength” (Judges 5:31, SAB).