Write Your Own Praise Song!

Thursday greetings J

Yesterday’s DEVO ended with a verse from the mighty praise song the Israelites sang when the enemy was finally defeated – a verse we joyously prayed over ourselves. 

But there is another noteworthy passage in the song that proclaims, “Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite, most blessed of women is she, favored above all women who dwell in tents! Sisera asked for water, and she gave him milk in a dish fit for lords. And then she took a tent peg in her left hand and a worker’s hammer in her right, and she struck Sisera.  She broke and battered his head; she pierced his temple, and he dropped dead (Judges 5:24-27).” 

Jael was from a culture that placed a high premium on men and their war skills.  Women and their courage and their willingness to fight – well, not so much.  But our Lord is clearly showing us that anyone, women included, can bring victory.  You just have to be willing to get in the fight.  And when you do, a song might be written about it.  Maybe not everyone will know it, but those most important to you will.

In fact, if ever there were a praise song written about me, I would like it to say:

“Yenise, wife of Jorge, the New Jerseyan, most blessed of women is she, favored above all women who live in Westchester.  The enemy came close to her dwelling, and she met him head on.  He tempted her and her family, and she prayed for them not to fall for it.  Then she chose prayer as a way of life for every single obstacle and trouble that headed their way, and she struck that enemy down.  She broke every single plan he had for destruction in the mighty name of Jesus, and victory was hers and her family’s!”

Happy dance time!

Now go write your own praise song!

Our Victory Song~

Tuesday greetings ~

Remember how at the beginning of Deborah's story Barak was hesitant to lead his army of 10,000 unless Deborah went with him?  She agreed because she wasn’t afraid to get in the fight, and this goes to show us all that women can be powerful in their families, jobs, and communities.  There is nothing wrong with that, but in this case God had already clearly said the enemy would fall, yet Barak wanted Deborah to come along anyway.  When God calls us to take the lead—man or woman—and we waffle, there is a price to pay.  In this case, Barak learned that ultimately, the leader of the opposing army, Sisera, would die at the hands of a woman.  Ouch!

And this is where our story picks up.  Sisera had “escaped on foot,” leaving all his troops to die.  He “ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor.”  Sisera was the commander of King Jabin’s army, so Sisera, no doubt, felt confident that if Heber’s family was on friendly terms with the king, he would be safe.

Judges 4:18-20 “Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don't be afraid." So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.”

“Please give me some water," he said. "I'm thirsty." So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again.” "Stand at the door of the tent," he told her. "If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no."

Perhaps Sisera felt doubly safe in the tent of a woman, especially one so courteous and comforting. 

But…

Judges 4:21 “When Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.”

After this amazing victory – when Israel’s enemy was justifiably crushed – the people broke out in songs of joy. 

My prayer for us today is the last line of that victory song:

Dear Lord, “May all Your enemies perish, O Eternal One!  But may we who love You be like the sun, rising and going forth with power!”  AMEN!!!