Continue To Go Before Me

04/15/21 Hasn’t the Lord Gone Before?

By Chuck Lawless on Apr 15, 2021 01:30 am

READING: Judges 4-6

“Over the years of my ministry, the Lord has always proven Himself faithful.

Even when I’ve struggled with following Him, He has never let me down.

“Several times, He has called us to leave ministry positions behind and follow Him to something new (and often, largely unknown).”

Twice, he has asked me to trust Him even when His direction made little sense.

BUS DRIVING In Marshall County - Blossomed the Minstry

Leaving FBC, Martin for Clarkson BC. Well Paid Youth Minister to Pastor with average salary and no insurance.

Again, He was always faithful.

We see God’s Calling on Two People

DEBORAH and BARAK

I find it fitting that Deborah’s name means “bee”…

The wax with which beehives are constructed is the most heat-resistant wax known to man and can withstand temperatures up to 140 degrees.

However, at 141 degrees, the wax begins to melt. So when the hive nears the 141 degree mark, the bees begin to cluster around their hive and fan it by fluttering their wings 190 times per second, or 11,400 times per minute. No wonder bees are called industrious!

They are also very discerning, with antennae containing between 2,000 and 3,000 plates through which they identify the proper flower from which to draw their nectar.

Finally, bees are known for the sweetness of the honey they produce.

In Deborah, I see these same three characteristics: She was very industrious, very discerning, and very sweet.

But she also packed a wallop of a sting, as we will see.

Courson’s Application Commentary, Old Testament Volume 1 (Genesis–Job) Judges 4:6–8

Although God found someone He could use mightily in Deborah, it is an indictment against the men of Israel that God’s people lacked male leadership at this time.

Judges 4:9 (NASB95)

9 She said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Deborah’s prophecy did indeed come to pass. Barak would not be given credit for Sisera’s demise. Instead, as we will see, the honor would go to a woman named Jael.

“I must admit that I record these words today looking backward. That is, my reflections on the faithfulness of God are just that—reflections. They are present-tense assessments of God’s past-tense leading. I don’t know that I always trusted God at the front edge of a change like I should have; I doubt I always had future-tense faith when the unknowns were ahead of me. That’s why it’s good for me to hear Deborah’s words to Barak when she challenged him to take the victory over Sisera and his chariots: “Hasn’t the Lord gone before you?” (Judg 4:14). He had indeed already done so, and all of Sisera’s army would fall.

CONCLUSION:

I don’t know all that I will face today. Perhaps unexpected things will happen. Maybe God will challenge me to take a step of faith. Questions and anxiety might wrongly grab my heart again. If so, I will ask the same question today, “Hasn’t the Lord already gone before me?”

He has, in fact—and that’s all that matters.

PRAYER: “Remind me, Lord, that You’ve already gone before me.”