What are you waiting for?

In today's economy, it almost seems as if nothing is attainable.  However, if you are a Christian, you ascribe to a book that is full of stories, wonderful testimonies of folks who attained their dreams and promises not through an inheritance, but through perseverance.  Story after story in the Bible is one of hope and faith, of overcoming the seemingly impossible to receive the improbable.  Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord.

The Old Testament is full of just such stories, well known and obscure.  One such story is the story of Deborah, Barak, and Jael.

You see Deborah was a prophetess, and she was a judge.  The leader of the Hebrews during this time of history.  We are not told how she came to be in this position, just that she was.  That she met the people under the palm of Deborah each day to judge and lead.

One day, things change for her.  God tells her to deliver a message.  You see, the Israelites have been crying out to God because of the oppression they have been under from Jabin's cruelty for the last twenty years.  Not that they were innocent or anything.  They had started up with  worshiping idols and all that nonsense...again.  Hence, God punished them with being overtaken and harshly ruled by Pagans.  I digress.

Back to the message.  Deborah is told to deliver a message to one Barak, son of Abinoam.  She was sent to send him on his way to do what God had instructed him to do.  God had obviously spoken to Barak and told him to go deal with Sisera, who was the general of Jabin's army.  Removing him would destroy Jabin's powerful hold on the Israelites.  However, because Barak was afraid he had not moved.  He had given up on his God-given assignment or dream.  He felt it was too big for him to do.  The truth be told, it was if he were to try to do it on his own.

How do we know that he has already gotten the message from God?  Let's look at Deborah's phrasing when she speaks to him.  in Judges Chapter 4, verses 6 and 7 she asks him, "Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded [you], Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon.  And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you at the river Kishon with his chariots and his multitude, and I will deliver him into your hand?"  Did you note the question marks?

She didn't say God is tell you go, she said didn't God command you to.

His response to her is that basically conditional.  "I'll follow God's direction only if you go with me."  Did you see this anywhere in God's command to him?  Me either.  God allows this, because we have "free will", however because of his refusal to fully trust God she gives him another message from the Lord.  "I will surely go with you, nevertheless, the trip you take will not be for your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman..."  Basically, she is telling him because he will not trust God, his reward will be given to someone else.  That God's will is going to be completed by another, and the benefit for obedience will be given to that person not him.

So, they go.  The battle goes badly for Sisera and he flees, arriving at Jael's tent.  He assumes that she is an ally because her husband is Heber the Kenite.  The scriptures tell us that there was a truce between Jabin and Heber.  What he didn't know was that Jael was an Israelite and felt no such allegiance.  However, this is how God works.  He got comfortable, too comfortable because she did as Paul directed, fed and gave drink to her enemy.  Long story short, he fell asleep, she drove a tent peg through his temple, the honor of slaying Sisera went to a woman.  God directed her to kill him and she did.  No hesitation, no excuses.  She didn't stall, she embraced her new destiny with tent peg, and hammer in hand.

What about you?  Has God directed you to do something?  Has He sent someone to remind you to do it and you have made excuses not to?  Or, worse have you put stipulations on how you will do it?  If so, than you will forfeit His blessing and it will go to another.  Remember, He hasn't changed.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Whatever He has put before you go for it.  Give it 110%, know that it is not through your own power that you will accomplish it, but through His.  Than He will reward you for your obedience and faith.

How's that for a great God?  He does it and than rewards you for it.  All you have to do is believe.  So...what are you waiting for?

Father,
Help us to stay focused on You and not on the mountain.  Let us step out of the boat and do what you have assigned us to do and not worry about how we will stay afloat on the water, for we can only do it by Your power.  


In Jesus name,
Amen