get up & get moving

As I’ve been reading through my Bible-in-a-year plan — which I’m keeping up with quite nicely, thank you – I came across this passage in Judges. I won’t spend too much time on the story, but Deborah was a prophetess whom God sent to Barak (not Obama). God had commanded Barak to take 10,000 men and engage in battle with Sisera’s army. Barak wasn’t too confident in this plan, but told Deborah that he would go IF she went with him! (Sounds like a scared little kid asking his mommy to hold his hand, if you ask me!) So she agrees to go along.

Apparently Barak is still showing some timidity, so Deborah jumps all over him:

Then Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the Lord gone out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand men following him. (Judges 4.9)

I love this tongue-lashing she gives him! If I were to say this to someone today, it might sound something like this: “GET UP! Today’s the day God is going to give you the victory! He’s already done all the work, now get up and get moving!”

Now, this Sisera dude had a pretty intimidating presence. He was the commander for Jabin, who was the king of Canaan. For 20 years, it says, “he had harshly oppressed the children of Israel” (4.3). So Barak had a right to be nervous, to feel intimidated. On any other occasion, going against THIS army and THIS king was a foolish idea.

But THIS was the day that God was going to give him the win.

There was no reason to be afraid, because GOD was going to deliver them into his hand. GOD was the one who would do the fighting. GOD was the one who had already gone out before him. In other words, God gave the “alley,” now Barak simply had to deliver the “oop!” (basketball term, courtesy of March Madness – sorry if you’re clueless here)

All that was required of Barak was this: 1) Have faith in God’s promises, and 2) Get up and get moving! That’s it!

As I’m approaching this new scene of life, I won’t lie — I’m a little nervous! There are days where I’m overflowing with excitement about what’s next. Bu then there are days when I face fear, apprehension, doubts — whether it’s my flesh or the enemy trying to get the best of me, I don’t know. But I do know it’s NOT of God — God is love, and perfect love casts out all fear. And when I read this passage, when I see this charge from Deborah, I’m encouraged. I come back to the reality that GOD has already gone before me! He is clearing the path, he is preparing the victory, he is doing all the work! He’s just waiting for me to get up and get moving. He’s waiting for me to step up and step out in faith, and to act based on his promises.

So here is another step in my journey of faith — holding onto God’s promises, staring fear in the face, and walking into it,  knowing that this battle belongs to me, that God has already paved the way and has given me the win.

What about you — is there anything that is causing fear in your life right now? Has God given you a promise that you’re afraid to believe? Is it time for you to get UP and get moving, too?