Courage Part One

I did a search on the word courage in the Bible, and from there I went to a list of Personal Bravery scriptures. The usual heroes were there, but one name stood out as I scanned the list. Deborah. My own name. Deborah's story is found in Judges 4 & 5.  Deborah was a prophetess and a leader of Israel. God spoke to Deborah and she told a military leader that God said he would turn the enemies over to him. The military leader said he would only go if Deborah went with him.  What?  This man leading an army of 10,000 men wanted a woman to go with him.

"Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”
“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the LORD will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh."  Judges 4:8-10 NIV

Amazing!  Deborah went. She lived approximately 60 miles from the fighting, had her own Palm tree shop set up to settle disputes, and yet she agreed to go with Barak.  She was courageous. Why? How?

 "Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel."
Judges 5:7 NIV

The commentaries I read focused on the last part of this verse. Her description of herself. She was a mother in Israel...as a mother she had to go when called. As a mother...not only did she nurture and encourage, but protect. For her children.....Israel.....she would brave the journey and the battle because she was a mother and she had listened to God. 

Make no mistake, this was a woman who followed her God. She was close to Him. Close enough for God to send instructions through her to others.  If Barak doubted her anoiting and was testing her faith in her message, then he was enlightened. God showed up and the enemy was delivered into the hands of a woman. Not Deborah. Another brave woman. Jael.

Where does courage spring from? How could she have been fearless in the face of a battle of tens of thousands? I have found scriptures that say JOY is the cure for fear. That remembering the faithfulness of God will give us courage. Here it is a mother's desire to protect her own, to fight for her children and her people, that gives Deborah the courage to travel many miles from her home and into the battle. Would I do the same? Would you?