January 11th - Reflection

Reading
Judges 4:1-16 (NRSV)
Israel's enemies drown

The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years.

At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, 'Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.'" Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." And she said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him. Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the other Kenites, that is, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had encamped as far away as Elon-bezaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, Sisera called out all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the troops who were with him, from Harosheth-ha-goiim to the Wadi Kishon. Then Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day on which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. The Lord is indeed going out before you." So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand warriors following him. And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panic before Barak; Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot, while Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-ha-goiim. All the army of Sisera fell by the sword; no one was left.

Reflection
A panic took place. A panic that caused everyone to run away. A panic that caused everyone to flee, what was thought to be their weapon and protection, and run away on foot. As I ponder this passage, I hear God speaking a word of trust. Trust in His way. Trust in His Word. Trust in His plan. When I place my trust and focus on God, the fear of panic subsides. God will guide me through the battles and struggles of life. There will still be pain in the battle, but I can trust in the outcome with God. When God tells me to go, I can trust in the path and go.

Think of Jesus carrying out the plan the Father has set before Him. If Jesus had not trusted in His Father, I'm sure that He would have reason to panic. Jesus was led to death on the cross. But, no need to panic, the Father had the resurrection in store. What a victory!

Panic? Leave that behind, and trust in the guidance of the Lord. Keep your focus on Jesus.

Prayer
Today, Lord, I will keep my focus on You. I follow You. I thank You, Lord for identifying with me in the flesh. I thank You for identifying with me in Your baptism. I focus on You and any need to panic subsides. ---Amen