Deborah

By Guest Writer

Scripture Reading: Judges 4:1-24, Judges 5:1-31

When I was in college, my friends and I would close out a late-night study session with a trip to Steak and Shake (which does, objectively, have the best fast-food french fry on the market). The combination of greasy burgers, creamy milkshakes, and scream-singing 2010s pop hits in the car was its own healing balm on our tired, overworked minds.

While Deborah’s post-victory anthem had a lot less to do with parties in the USA or never, ever, ever getting back together, I deeply resonate with this woman who needed to burst into song after an intensely stressful situation. Though there are definitely more profound lessons to be learned from Deborah’s song.

Though the battle was initially given to Barak to lead, Deborah rose to that rallying cry by choosing to march with her friend when he asked. Deborah described what it felt like to be asked to lead by singing, “Awake! Awake, Deborah! Awake! Awake, sing a song!” (Judges 5:12). From what we can read about her life, I find permission to be a bold, unshakeable, nurturing, and (most importantly) willing voice for God. His justice and goodness move through the world through us—we are people who can look around at all that ails our neighbors and who then respond by finding our own proverbial palm tree where we sit and listen and offer what help we can.

And when the time comes, we can unashamedly rouse our hearts and our hands when our neighbors or friends ask us to put on our fighting leathers. I love the wording in verse nine—“My heart is with the leaders of Israel, with the volunteers of the people. Blessed be the LORD!”—because in it I see Deborah’s perspective as one of gratitude at being entrusted with the care and keeping of God’s people. Rather than viewing the battle before her as a burden that’s not hers to deal with, she praised God for being trusted to go into gruesome, messy places with suffering people. Deborah saw the greater honor in the opportunity to work alongside God as He brought justice to His people and glory to His name. And she got to witness God’s power and “tell the righteous acts of the Lord” (v.11).

What in your world makes your heart come alive at the sound of, “Awake! Awake!”? What’s the thing for you that you can’t help but feel an ache over, whether in ancient longing or in righteous passion, when you read those words? As you consider what that could be for you, my prayer is that you might speak over yourself—and be surrounded by others who will say it as well—the encouragement that Deborah sang when the battle was thundering around her.

March on, my soul, in strength!
—Judges 5:21

Written by Kayla De La Torre