Unlikely Heroes

Daily Reading: Judges 4-5

Scripture Focus: Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, of tent-dwelling women most blessed (Judges 5.24)

Devotional Thought: We pray regularly in our church for the end of human trafficking. As I prayed this past Sunday, I was overcome by anger. I asked God, "How could anybody do this to a child or to any human being?" There are some crimes so horrible that we can only think of the justice they demand. Judges 4-5, is like that. We may be put off by the gruesome details, but the fact of the matter is that the enemies of Israel were terrorizing innocent people: They "oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years" (Judges 4.3).

The Israelites needed deliverance and the terrorists needed justice. God worked salvation through the most unlikely of means:

• Barak. Here was a man with skills for warfare, yet he lacked courage, drive, and a sense of destiny. God, however, was able to wake him out of his stupor and use him. He did it through...

• Deborah. It was very unusual for a woman to be a prophet and a political and military leader in that generation. Yet, Deborah did not shrink from her task. As unlikely as it seemed that God would use her, he did! And, she was able to goad the more experienced Barak into action.

• The most surprising of all was Jael. She had no skills, no particular call from God and no history of bravery in battle. Yet, this "behind the scenes" player was a true hero in the work of deliverance for God's people. Using no strategy but the enemy's weariness, no weapons but a mallet and tent peg, Jael sealed the victory.

The enemy is terrorizing God's children. His crimes are so heinous, that justice must be done. Will you be used of God to help bring about deliverance?

Prayer: Lord, help me to overcome my lethargy, my excuse-making and my lack of resources. Instead, help me to use what is at hand and bring about your glorious Kingdom for those who need to be delivered from sin. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 51.16-19

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.