ESOCS Devotional 26 July 2023
MEMORY VERSE:““In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travelers walked through byways. The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel until that I Deborah arose, and that I arose a mother in Israel”. Judges 5:6-7
TEXT: JUDGES 5:1-18 (KJV)
Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,
2 Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.
3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.
4 Lord, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.
5 The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel.
6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.
8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord.
10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.
11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates.
12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak, and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.
13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty.
14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors, and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.
15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.
16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.
17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.
18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
Deborah is one woman among many women in the scriptures that were exceptional in their works. She was full of strength to have led Israel into a battle and gained victory over Jabin who had oppressed Israel with 900 iron chariots. This strength of Deborah among many others can be seen in her sense of responsibility. It is good we understand that we either accept responsibility or die in adversity; it is either you accept responsibility or you end as a liability. Also, responsible people accept responsibility while irresponsible people avoid responsibility; such people will always dodge any form of responsibility in life.
We gladly present to us what it means to exist with the sense of responsibility as women and mothers:
- It means to be the answer you are looking for: you become the answer people are looking for, you are the solution your generation is praying for, in the midst of the oppression from Jabin and the nation was wondering who was to deliver them but Deborah accepted it “…until that I Deborah arose…”. You become the answer to your own prayer and the prayers of your generation.
- To hold yourself responsible for the needed change in your generation. Whatever change that is needed in your family, church, nation, you hold yourself responsible like David who said who is this uncircumcised Philistine ‘that is why I am here’. The problem that exists in your family is the reason for your existence “… and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14.
- Doing the right thing and moving on the right direction without any external motivation or encouragement: responsible people are highly self-motivated and encouraged. David despite the attitude of the people towards him still encouraged himself -1st Sam. 30:6. Responsible people don’t look for encouragement, but they are mobile encouragement that people are looking for. David didn’t need assistance to confront the lion and bear, even when it was time to deal with Goliath, nobody supported or encouraged him, he was man alone, yet he encouraged himself.
- Take a decision to be a generational blessing and not a burden.
- Start where you are, begin to make little changes to happen from where you are.
- Lord, we bless you for the exposition; I receive the grace to exist with the sense of responsibility in my generation in Jesus Name, Amen.
FURTHER READING: Ezra 7:12-end; Luke 8:1-15; Acts. 21:27-39
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ESOCS Devotional 26 July 2023
