The Lord Goes Before You

"Then Deborah said to Barak,

'Get ready!

This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera,

for the LORD is marching ahead of you.'

So Barak lead his 10,000 warriors down 

the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle."

Judges 4:14 NLT

He knew in his heart what he must do.  The people had suffered so under the iron fist of Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army.  His 900 chariots intimidated the people of Israel into submission.  Who could rise up against them to win liberty?  Barak knew he was the man for the job; the Lord had placed this call upon his life.  Still, his heart quaked at the thought of what he must do.

Soon he received a summons from Deborah, the prophetess of great faith who led the people with grace and wisdom.  Not surprisingly, she spoke to him as if he already knew what to do, which he did.  

"Didn't you hear a command from the Lord to confront Sisera and his army?  Go!  Take 10,000 men from Naphtali and Zebulun and the Lord will draw Sisera and his multitudes to meet you at the river Kishon.  There our mighty God will deliver them into your hand."

"I am ready, but I do not want to go it alone.  I need the assurance that God is with me; I need to know His will and to hear His voice. Since your faith is so strong, Deborah, will you go with me to help me do as God has bid?"

"Yes," came the reply from the woman of God, "but it will not be you who receives the glory, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman."  (paraphrased from Judges 4:1-9)

Barak proceeded to gather the necessary troops and prepare for battle.  Still, he held back.  In order to rally his courage, she reminded him Whose battle this was.  "Go!  The Lord is already there waiting for you, therefore there is nothing to fear!"

How often do I hang back, unsure of the calling God has placed on my life?  I wait for reassurance, wanting to make sure I'm not out of my mind.  I fear failure.  I may have felt confident when the call first came but now that the time for action has arrived, my resolve wavers.  In these times of doubt and insecurity, I can remind myself as Deborah did for Barak:  The Lord goes before me.  

Prepare the Way

The entire Army post where I lived with my husband and family was talking about the visit.  Secret Service members painstakingly inspected the areas where the president would visit, checking for security risks.  Local law enforcement was alerted, evacuation routes were secured and checkpoints established.  Every measure was taken in order to ensure the safety and protection of the president.

I was amazed at the measures that were taken to prepare the way for the man who held the highest office in the land.  The gym where I worked out was even closed for a few days prior to his visit in order to secure it for the president's possible morning workout two days hence.  

Even though I don't have a security detail that goes before me, preparing for every move I make, God does lay some groundwork ahead of me.  There are pieces that must be put into place, people whose hearts need softening, and obstacles which must be cleared.  

This means I need not fear to step ahead in faith, knowing that God has freed a path for me to walk upon.  It reminds me of the time my family and I were traveling across the country in the snow.  The going was tough until we spotted a snow plow.  As we fell in at a safe distance behind the large snow-removing truck, we benefited from the cleared road and freshly applied sand.  Our traction improved and the going was easier.

My job, then, is to follow behind the Lord as He prepares the way for me.  When I'm afraid to reach out to the one who has hurt me so badly, I can go with confidence, knowing that God has prepared her heart to receive my goodwill offering.  Or if I know I must step ahead into the place that seems so foreign, I can be assured that my Father's presence will make it feel like home.  Even if I sense God leading me where I vowed to never go again, I can find strength in the fact that He is doing something new today, creating life where there once was nothing but death and destruction (Isaiah 43:19).

When God calls me into the unknown, I can take heart knowing that He is preparing the way for me.

Fight the Battle

It was quite embarrassing.  This little shepherd boy who knew nothing of soldiering had naively offered to kill the 9-foot giant-of-a-man who was born and bred to fight.  For well over a month, this Philistine champion, all decked out in his heavy armor and bearing his mighty javelin, mocked and heckled the Israelite army, hurling insults and taunting the frightened men.  Not one man offered to face him one-on-one; that is until David showed up to bring food to his brothers(1 Samuel 17).

How could this young lad possess the courage to stand against such a formidable foe?  He knew the Lord in a way that most did not.  He had experienced God's power as he killed lion and bear while tending sheep. He knew something about God's ability to fight on his behalf. Therefore, David was able to unwaveringly say to this terrifying mammoth, "I'll strike you down and cut off your head. . . it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's"(1 Samuel 17:46, 47).

I, too, can possess such courage if I will only give God a chance to fight my battles for me. When I'm tempted to seek revenge upon those who try to destroy me, I can instead walk forward in love, choosing good over evil while letting God settle the score (Romans 12:17-21).

When I feel helpless against the overwhelming hardships that bring such suffering into my life, I can rest in the knowledge that God's grace is enough to give me the strength to carry on (2 Corinthians 12:9).

When I want to do whatever I can to protect those I love from heartache, I can trust God to use the hard circumstances of their lives to mold them into the man or woman He created them to be (Hebrews 12:11, Isaiah 38:17).

When God calls me into the impossible, I can take heart knowing that God is fighting the battle for me.

Lead

My dog is a horrible leader.  As a lab mixed with a herding breed, he is created to round up animals and drive them into a pen or keep them in a herd as they graze.  Consequently, he prefers to walk behind a group.  

In contrast, the Lord is a Shepherd who leads from the front.  I can take comfort in knowing He is there, guiding the way, revealing His plan, and showing me where to go.  I don't need to figure out what my next step is, how to negotiate a certain obstacle, or when to take a rest and when to run.  God is confidently and assuredly leading me every step of the way.

The problem comes with my ability to follow.  Many times I run ahead, assuming I know the direction in which the Lord is leading.  Other times I wander off to the side, losing track of Him as I let worry, worldly attractions and unnecessary pursuits distract me from His guidance.  Then there are the times when I tarry, feeling unsure of the path on which my Shepherd walks.

Whatever my issue, I can be confident in God's ability to lead me well.  He knows when rest is called for, when prodding is necessary and when reassurance is needed.  He also is my perfect protector, reliable provider, and the Giver of all good gifts (Psalm 23, James 1:17).

When God calls me forward, I can take heart knowing that He is expertly leading me.

It is easy to lose heart when the time comes to act on the call God has placed on my life. Remembering His position out in front, however, can give me courage to step out in faith. He prepares the way, fights my battles, and leads my footsteps. Therefore, there is no need to fear but every reason to step forward in faith.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to go where He is leading me.

When do I balk at the mission to which He has called me?

How can the knowledge of His presence spur me on?


Originally published on March 14, 2014