“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours.” (Judg. 4:9)
Have you ever wondered how your life would be different if you could always follow God’s “Plan A”? Of course, none of us do that perfectly. Like Barak, in yesterday’s verses, we may desire to do what God wants for us, yet we have an imperfect faith and try to modify God’s plans so that they are more attractive to us.
Deborah had given Barak God’s Plan A: He would gather ten thousand troops and lead them to Mount Tabor, while Deborah led the enemy directly into their hands. Barak would be a hero. Barak, however, had his own idea. He said he would only lead the troops into battle if Deborah was with him. Deborah told Barak that she would indeed go with him. However, by insisting on her presence, he would miss out on the honor that would otherwise have been his.
We can draw a couple of lessons from this. First, God always has a Plan B. Our faulty faith does not limit God’s ability to accomplish his purposes. The weight of the world does not rest on our shoulders but on God’s, and that’s a good thing. Second, when our faith in God falters, we may be left with Plan B results, not as judgment or punishment, but simply as a natural consequence. Either way, we can be grateful for God’s grace and mercy.
Express gratitude for Plan B and ask God to grow your faith.
Kevin R. Scott is a pastor and author of ReCreatable: How God Heals the Brokenness of Life. He lives with his family in middle Tennessee.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
