It’s Wake Up Time!

Up! The Lord gives you grace to wake up … to rise up … to move up!

Today’s text: “And Deborah said to Barak, ‘Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?’ So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword.” (Judges 4:14–15, ESV)

Deborah, Israel’s prophetess and judge, had a word from the Lord for Barak, the commander of Israel’s army. God planned to give Barak victory over the Canaanite commander, Sisera.

Barak insisted on Deborah going with him to the fighting grounds of Kedesh. Israel’s commander wanted the mouthpiece of the Lord to travel with him. The writer of Hebrews lists Barak among the models of faith alongside the likes of David and Samson. Barak believed God’s word, so he wanted the prophetess close by.

When the day of battle was at hand, Deborah prophesied to Barak again: “Up!”

There was no other command from the Lord that day. No other directions. No other instructions.

Just … “UP!”

There are days in which the Lord comforts you, replenishing what has been depleted. There are days in which the Lord nourishes you, strengthening you for what is to come. There are days in which the Lord teaches you, preparing you for the test ahead.

But there is also a day when the battle is nigh and the time is NOW in which the Lord simply says, “Up!” Everything that the Lord has done in your life has prepared you for the moment when He says, “Up!”

Perhaps the Lord is saying UP to you in one of these ways:

– Wake Up – your eyes are being opened to a whole new day
– Rise Up – you’re ready to rise up to be the person God made you to be
– Move Up – you’re going to a higher place, a new vista awaits

The battle belongs to the Lord. He will give you the grace. So you can hearken unto His command: UP! And that’s the Gospel!