The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 14 March 2020 – TOPIC: IT WILL END IN PRAISE ….IF YOU OBEY

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DATE: SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2020
TOPIC: IT WILL END IN PRAISE ….IF YOU OBEY
READ: JUDGES 5:1-18 (NKJV)

1. Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying:
2. “When leaders lead in Israel, When the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the LORD!
3. “Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, [even] I, will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.
4. “LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth trembled and the heavens poured, The clouds also poured water;
5. The mountains gushed before the LORD, This Sinai, before the LORD God of Israel.
6. “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were deserted, And the travelers walked along the byways.
7. Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel, Until I, Deborah, arose, Arose a mother in Israel.
8. They chose new gods; Then [there was] war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel.
9. My heart [is] with the rulers of Israel Who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the LORD!
10. “Speak, you who ride on white donkeys, Who sit in judges’ attire, And who walk along the road.
11. Far from the noise of the archers, among the watering places, There they shall recount the righteous acts of the LORD, The righteous acts [for] His villagers in Israel; Then the people of the LORD shall go down to the gates.
12. “Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, O son of Abinoam!
13. “Then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles; The LORD came down for me against the mighty.
14. From Ephraim [were] those whose roots were in Amalek. After you, Benjamin, with your peoples, From Machir rulers came down, And from Zebulun those who bear the recruiter’s staff.
15. And the princes of Issachar [were] with Deborah; As Issachar, so [was] Barak Sent into the valley under his command; Among the divisions of Reuben [There were] great resolves of heart.
16. Why did you sit among the sheepfolds, To hear the pipings for the flocks? The divisions of Reuben have great searchings of heart.
17. Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan, And why did Dan remain on ships? Asher continued at the seashore, And stayed by his inlets.
18. Zebulun [is] a people [who] jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.

THE MESSAGE:

In Judges 4:6b & 14a, Deborah gave the Word of the Lord, Barak obeyed (4:10 & 14b) and victory was won. When the victory and deliverance was finally won and secured by the Israelites, Deborah and Barak burst forth into a song, ascribing the praise and glory to God.

They remembered their past troubles and also God’s past good deeds to them and called the delivered people to join them in praising God (verses 6-11). Although Deborah reprimanded the tribes of Israel that did not share in fighting the battle, she did not forget to commend those who actively participated (verses 12-18).
Obedience to God’s word/instructions (1 Samuel 15:22) will bring victory, joy and spontaneous praise.

When praise flows from a deeply grateful and joyful heart, not only is God moved to inhabit the praise, the event remains more deeply entrenched in our hearts. Whenever we are victorious or successful, we should not delay in returning all the thanks, praise and glory to God. Remember Psalm 103!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “Obedience is better than sacrifice…” and whatever we have achieved – the will, power, determination, success, victory, etc., all come from God (1 Corinthians 4:7).

PRAYER: Dear Father, receive every glory, honour and praise for everything You have done for me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.