Spiritual Crutches

December 2, 2007

Judges 4:4-10 JPS
(4) Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
(5) And she sat under the palm-tree of Deborah between Ramah and Beth-el in the hill-country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
(6) And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him: 'Hath not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded, saying: Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children ofZebulun?
(7) And I will draw unto thee to the brook Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thy hand.
(8) And Barak said unto her: 'If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, I will not go.'
(9) And she said: 'I will surely go with thee; notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thy honour; for the LORD will give Sisera over into the hand of a woman.' And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.
(10) And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and there went up ten thousand men at his feet; and Deborah went up with him.


This story has a happy ending, the bad guy is killed but like Deborah had said, it was at the hands of a woman. What is interesting is the sad start it has.

Barak had been told to go take on the enemy, look at verse 6. God has spoken to him! He was in disobedience to what God had told him to do. He had a serious lack of faith. We would call it fear. So what does he do? He demands Deborah to go with him. Why? Can she hear better from God what is right for his life. He had every thing he need except a crutch to fall back on if he looses the battle.

Do you have a spiritual crutch that is holding you back today? Is someone else getting the glory that you deserve?