Judges 4
God spoke to Deborah when she sat under the tree and the Israelites came to her to settle their disputes. God gave Deborah a plan for defeating the Canaanites who were oppressing her people but she was not a solo act. She called Barak and had him gather 10,000 men whom God used to defeat Jabin’s army led by Sisera with his “900 chariots fitted with iron” plus his marching soldiers. When Barak was winning, Sisera fled and hid in the tent of Jael, a housewife. She gave him milk to drink and covered him so he could rest and as he slept she took a tent peg and drove it through his temple. Sisera was not killed by a tree nor in battle but by a piece of a tree in the hands of an ordinary woman.
The victory was won and history changed by a woman who listened to God while sitting under a tree and by a woman who looked at what she had in her hand, a tent peg, a piece of a tree, and used it to free an oppressed people. I think that often we think we need some great platform or miracle to show God’s power but God seems to like to work with people who are willing to sit and listen and bring their problems to him. He uses ordinary women like Jael who saw the potential for good in the tool in her hand.
So today as we ponder the challenges facing us, may we take time to listen for the voice of God. May we be humble and realize the team of people who support us. And may we be aware of the tools we have in our hands to help. Maybe it is smile, or a lift in a car, or a word of encouragement but God is willing to use each of us to help someone who is struggling. Blessings!
On the Way to Wonder 