Devotions for the week of: July 8, 2020

Reading:

Judges 4:4-10

At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.’” Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him.         

Deborah. A prophetess. A judge. A bee. Yes, a bee! The name Deborah means “bee” in Hebrew. Knowing the meaning of a name spoke of who the person was in Biblical times. I recall Thelma Wells’ message that I heard at a Women of Faith conference, many years ago. She reminds us to BEE our best. To BEE all that God wants us to be!

“The bee is scientifically too big, its wingspan too narrow, for it to fly,” she said. “Yet it flies around anyway doing what God made it to do.”

I see that in Deborah — a Biblical woman who society might have insisted that she shouldn’t be doing what she was doing — yet was buzzing around doing God’s work anyway.

I give thanks for the many ”‘bees” in my life, especially the women who have been buzzing around for years, working hard, defying the odds, doing the ministry God called them to do, including leading congregations as ordained pastors. I give thanks for the strong women of the Bible, including Deborah, who became role models for young girls to look to as they grew and overcame odds to be all that God called them to be. I give thanks, today, for all who continue to fight the odds to proclaim the love God has for all God’s children and to encourage and empower all of them to fly around doing whatever God made them to do.

Pastor Deb Grismer
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Hermosa 

Prayer:
Gracious God, give us the strength and courage we need to defy the odds to be all that You want us to be. Refresh the tired and weary.  Give wisdom to our leaders. Empower us to continue to break down the barriers that hold others back from using the gifts You have given them to proclaim Your Word, so that all may hear the good news of Your love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.
 

Want to receive devotions each week in your inbox?

Click the link below to sign-up for weekly devotions from the South Dakota Synod.