She Was A Judge

At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came to her for judgment. (Judges 4: 4-5)

Deborah has been a witness for me as long as I’ve known her. If her job as a judge could be summed up in one word, it would be oracle; spokesperson for God. In her day, she was God’s mouthpiece to Israel as she sat under her palm tree dispensing wisdom to the Israelites. She also spoke for God when her people needed to defend themselves against their oppressors. Although it was unusual for a woman to judge in her time, she was confident in her role, because she knew that she was speaking God’s word. She was confident enough to say to Barak, Israel’s military leader, “the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you.”

When God asks someone to speak God’s word, the chosen person isn’t always ready or willing. It is a frequent human response to tell God, for one reason or another, that we’d be an inept representative, or that we simply do not want to do the job we are asked to do, or that it won’t fit into our life at the present time. But remember, as Deborah did, that whatever God asks us to do or say, God has promised that God will lead us along familiar paths, and will not forsake us (Isaiah 42:16).

Deborah spoke God’s word to Barak, and to the Israelites, and they listened. Somehow, they knew that she was speaking God’s truth. We can all speak for God, but in order to do so, we must carefully listen, as Deborah did, for God’s word. Deborah’s confidence was not in herself, but in God. The kind of wisdom and bravery she showed us is very achievable for each of us when we put our trust in God and in God’s promises.

And so we pray,

Dear wise and guiding God, Help us to see the purpose you have for us in your world. Help us to put our trust and confidence in your work and your word for us, and help us to be brave in proclaiming your love to the world. We pray in the name of Jesus, who is our hope, Amen.