The Leaders Took the Lead (A SOAP Journal from Judges 4-5)

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In addition to regular articles, I regularly post some simple SOAP journals that were produced during a regular small group gathering to read, journal, pray, and encourage one another. 
These are not exhaustively studied as they are generally the work of 20 minutes of reading, 20 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of sharing with each other what we have written. Whether we are Christian leaders or new believers, this group approach to Bible journaling is encouraging.
If you are not familiar with the term, we used the SOAP acronym as a simple devotional guide... standing for:

• Scripture—what verse or short section caught my attention today? 
• Observation—what can I briefly notice that the passage specifically says?
• Application—what will I do differently as a result of having read this today?
• Prayer—what will I ask the Triune God to do for, in, and through me today?

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My devotional Bible reading today included the story in Judges 4-5 where Deborah the judge of Israel and Barak the “general” were called by God to bring deliverance to the oppressed people in Israel from Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army. While much could be said about Deborah, who was functioning as the spiritual leader of at least the northern region of Israel, and Barak’s profound confidence in her leadership, the verses that stood out to me today are more applicable to our current international crisis.

S = The first verse is when God issued a clear call to Barak through Deborah in Judges 4:6  

She [Deborah] sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you,

‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor,

taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali

                        and the people of Zebulun. 

And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army,

to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, 

and I will give him into your hand’?” 

And the second section is from their extended song of celebration as they recounted the victory in Judges 5:1-2,

Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day:

“That the leaders took the lead in Israel,

    that the people offered themselves willingly,

    bless the Lord!”

O = After Israel had suffered, being cruelly oppressed for 20 years by the king of Canaan (4:3) they finally cried out to the Lord for help. In those days, Deborah rose to judge Israel, leading them towards the Lord, even before there was a military victory. She reminds me a bit of John the Baptist who prepared the way for deliverance. However, after Israel cried out, it seems that almost immediately God answered. She prophetically called Barak to lead his men into battle against a numerous and well-armed enemy.

Later, after the battle had been won, Deborah and Barak joined together to sing in celebration of the Lord’s deliverance through the people doing what they should do in a crisis. After calling on the Lord, “the leaders took the lead” and “the people offered themselves willingly.”

I don't know about you, but I love it when leaders "take the lead" not merely by making decisions, but by setting an example. A general can plan and issue orders far from the battle, but Barak and Deborah were at the front, leading by example. When leaders set an example, people give themselves willingly.

Photo: WhiteHouse.gov

Today, I think we have some national, state, and local leaders who are setting aside their partisan self-interest and leading, and some that are not. We also have many people offering themselves in the service of others. I think of those who have come down from their places of personal safety to fight the good fight “against an invisible enemy” in the Covid-19 virus, whether medical workers, first responders, grocery clerks, truck drivers, church workers, etc.). These people are unselfish heroes.

In Judges, some tribes did not join in the fight, choosing to do nothing (4:15b-17) but Zebulun and Issachar did what needed to be done! What part will we play in this current crisis?

Sure, things can get scary in a hurry. However, in this story, it was once the enemy had come out with all the strength of their forces, that Deborah repeated the call to Barak,

“Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him.” 

If the Lord goes out before us... that assumes that we will follow. It is always encouraging to see how so many do just that.

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A = This week, how will we follow the Lord into battle against the ultimate unseen enemy? How seriously will we take the guidelines to keep from spreading the disease? Will we pray? What will we give? How will we serve others by meeting practical needs? Will we check in on family, friends, and others? Will we join with others to sing and praise the goodness of God even in the midst of this crisis via our digital gatherings and life groups?

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P = Lord, let us cry out to you in confession for our misplaced affection and praise, and renew our trust in your care for us. Having done that may we be quick to hear and respond to your mobilizing call to battle. Show us what part we are to play in working for the common good even in a time of social distancing! May our words be prophetic and encouraging like Deborah, and our arms and legs strong like Barak and his followers to do whatever you put before us to do. While we currently face hardship and suffering on several different levels, please help us think more about others than about ourselves. We trust you for the victory if you go before us!

The Upside of Being Downcast (Psalm 42-43)

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Why are you cast down, O my soul,
    and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
    my salvation and my God. (Psalm 43:5)

During this season of social distancing and even strict quarantine, there is considerable concern regarding the psychological impact of isolation in addition to the more widespread anxieties of the Covid-19 crisis. Many have lost their jobs; others can no longer visit family for fear of spreading exposure to the more vulnerable among us. 

Photo Credit: Greg Dueker

I work at a Christian University and Seminary and we are currently teaching remotely and doing our best to reach out and check in with our students regularly. But I miss seeing them in class, out on the campus lawn, or in the cafeteria. Even the library is quieter than normal (if you can imagine that). All this combined with the hoarder-induced shortages of TP, sanitizer, vegetables, and most carbs (rice, beans, pasta, bread), can produce turmoil in our souls. But will we look down or up for the hope our soul so desperately needs?

In Psalm 42-43 (which are generally thought to make up one psalm), the writer uses a common refrain where he addresses his own soul and directs it to trust in God. This psalm might have been written during David’s exile during the rebellion of Absalom, or later during the Babylonian exile, or as Peter Craigie suggests, “it is equally possible that the background is to be found in sickness, which limited the poet’s  possibility of going to Jerusalem and participating in the worship in the temple.”[1] 

Currently, this hits pretty close to home for most churches in the US.

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We live in just such a time filled with challenging circumstances and difficult directives as the various levels of our government pursue policies put in place to slow the insidious spread of Covid-19. Yet even as the virus captures our attention, nature’s other outbursts are not abated be it tornados, floods, or earthquakes.

Some people are overwhelmed by the darkness they see. Others recognize that darkness is the necessary precursor to the coming of light. If we never experience the dark how then will we long for the light? Psalm 43:3-4 contains the prayer of the one who was downcast in the darkness. Do these ancient words of prayer resonate with our heart’s cries today?

Send out your light and your truth;
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
    and to your dwelling!
Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
    O God, my God.   (Psalm 43:3-4)

These psalms were written by, or for, the sons of Korah who served as doorkeepers and worship leaders in the Temple of the Lord. Their cry to the Lord was that he would bring them back to the place where they were called to serve. They realized that, for whatever reason, they were no longer in that spot. I would argue that their season of difficulty, whether sourced in an attack of an enemy or their own sin was being shaped into a gift in the hands of the Lord who loves steadfastly! My pastor used to say, “Don’t despise that which drives you to your knees.” Whatever causes us to lean into the Lord’s love, and extend that love to others, is ultimately a cause for gratitude.

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In the history of Israel and the history of the Christian church, there have been great feasts celebrated regularly, but the problem in modern times is that we too often cast off the fasts that precede them. Wisdom, and experience, teach that we appreciate and celebrate the light better after we have experienced the darkness. We need the longing season of Advent before the celebration of Christmas. We need the confessional season of Lent before the victorious joy of Easter. Even in the progression of the natural seasons, after a long hot summer, we need the cold and dark of winter before we will enjoy a sunny and warm spring day to its fullest! Isaiah 42:16 declares the Lord’s promised plan for his people on the other side of the darkness…

And I will lead the blind
    in a way that they do not know,
in paths that they have not known    I will guide them.
I will turn the darkness before them into light,    the rough places into level ground.
These are the things I do,    and I do not forsake them. (See also: Isaiah 42:6-7; 9:1-2; Matt. 4:14-16)

But those who will not trust in the Lord will see their idols destroyed (Isaiah 42:17).

As we read through Psalm 42-43, we find that it is chock-full of lessons applicable to our lives as we walk through the current circumstances we face. Despite being ordered to responsibly practice “social distancing” we can still digitally join our hearts together around the Lord and his word. I hope that we will take time each day to reflect on God’s written word, the Bible, and share his love displayed there with others.

To do just that, allow me to share nine truths that can be found especially in times of hardship and our downcast seasons of darkness…

1. Hardship often reveals our deepest thirst and gives us an opportunity to admit it (42:1-2). Have we seen enough of the world to know that it doesn’t, and can’t satisfy our deepest longings?
2. Hardship may open us up to criticism from others, those who love “piling on” when someone else is suffering, adding insult to injury (v. 3,10). I am reminded of Jesus’ words to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). Times like this will give us opportunities to grow in this regard.
3. Hardship reminds us how much we miss celebrating the goodness of God with our spiritual family (v. 4). Thankfully, we have the technology to reach across the distance and join in spiritual worship and acts of service.
4. Hardship often increases our sense of isolation (v. 4) but the more we think of others, and check in on them (phone, text, email, social media) the less isolated we will be, even when confined to our home.
5. Hardship gives us the opportunity to do some soul searching and some soul instructing. (42:5, 11; 43:5)
6. Dark times move us out past our powerless pride to put our hope in the Lord (v.5-6). In 2 Cor. 1:8-10, the Apostle Paul described this experience clearly. For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 
7. Amid dark and tumultuous times, we may become more sensitive to the presence of God and his steadfast love (v.7-8). The more distractions are removed, the more quiet we encounter, the more we dwell in his Word, and the less we can lean on our own strength the more we see him at work. Pro tip: Don’t watch more news than you can cover in prayer!
8. In dark and tumultuous times, we can ask God honest questions about where he is in all that we face. We feel he is far away, but what encouragement can we offer our own souls? (v.11) “Put your hope in God!” He is our covenant-keeping Savior!
9. In times of hardship, we can confess our weakness and choose to trust God to deliver us from the oppressor (43:1-3).

Sabbath in Modern Tiberius

One other comment before I close. Even good things need to have fallow seasons of pruning and rest in preparation for new seasons of fruitfulness. It makes me wonder since this current crisis is in effect imposing a sabbath rest on the land. While the imposition of a required sabbatical season is not the cause of this shutdown, perhaps that is how the Lord may use this terrible pandemic for good. if we will hope in him.

We are a nation that refuses to stop whatever it is that we are doing. Yet, being forced to stop, to pause, to trust it will work out, will we continue to be downcast, angry, fearful, and divided, or will our souls be counseled by this psalm to hope in God? Will we trust that we will once again join our voices together to praise Jesus for the salvation he brings to share? I hope so!

How we live and engage those we live with, will reveal both our heart and our source of hope… for better or worse!

[This post is also published on my Honest2God Psalms blog. If you are interested in more posts based on the Psalms, feel free to follow the link.]

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[1] Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50, Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 19, (Waco, TX: Word Inc., 1983) 325.