Tues.’s Devo - Dark and Light

Read: Judges 4:1-5:31; Luke 22:P3553; Psalm 94:1-21; Proverbs 14:3-4 After Ehud died, Israel went back to idolatry and God urned them over to King Jabin of Hazor. He was a Canaanite whose army commander was Sisera. Sisera ruthlessly oppressed Israel for twenty years. *** Deborah judged Israel at the time from under the tree between Ramah and Bethel in Ephraim. She sent for Barak from the land of Naphtali and told him the Lord was calling him to lead his army of 10,000 against Sisera. God would give him victory. *** Barak said that the only way he would go was if Deborah went with him. She agreed but said that if she went, he would not get the honor of the victory. It would go to a woman. *** Barak led his men in a battle with Sisera’s army and chased Sisera’s army all the way to where Sisera came from. Sisera had escaped on foot and ended up at the tent of Jael who was a Kenite. Jael thought she was on his side and went into her tent where she gave him some milk and he fell fast asleep. She killed him with a tent peg she drove into his temple with a hammer. Jabin defeated the army but Jael got the honor because she killed the commander. Deborah wrote a song explaining the whole battle giving honor to Jael. Israel had peace in their land for 40 years. *** Jesus reminded his disciples how he sent them out with nothing but the clothes on their back and they needed nothing else. Things were now changing and he was about to be arrested. They would now need a sword and money and provisions. They found two swords and Jesus said it was enough. He then left to pray on the Mount of Olives. He told them to pray with him. He went away from the group and an angel came and strengthened him for what was coming. Every time he came to check on his disciples, he found them asleep. *** Judas and a crowd approached them. Judas greeted Jesus with a kiss. Jesus asked him if this was how he was going to betray him… with a kiss. The disciples wanted to use their swords and Peter did. He struck at the high priest’s slave cutting off his ear. Jesus touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus asked them why they had to arrest him in the darkness when he was openly preaching in the light. He was making the point to them that what they were doing was wrong, They should know by the way they were having to do it. Evil is done in darkness. *** Lord, help us to walk in the light where you are. May our light shine today for all to see and for you to receive glory.