Vol. 2, No. 1 – 2017
Deborah and Barak sang on that day (Judges 5:1)
The song is one of victory, a masterpiece. One of the stanzas is the muster-roll of Israel for conflict. There is something missing. No valiant men appear for the time to do battle with vicious enemies.
It is always interesting to look up words you might want to use some day in a blog or an article. In Webster’s 9th edition, looking for the nuances of the word recovery, one finds a word between recovery and recreation; the word recreant.
Recreant has a Latin root, a word with the idea of failing to keep the faith, disloyal, and/or a traitor—a coward. It is not a descriptive word any of us would like. Yet, in Deborah’s day there were four tribes of torpidity (you can look that one up!):
Recreant Reuben had great thoughts in the heart (5:15). However, thoughts was all he had. He was interested, but not enlisted; moved, but not motivated; concerned, but not committed; deliberate, but not determined to go to battle. His weakness, instability.
Recreant Gilead lived over beyond the Jordan (5:17). His response; do not ruffle my feathers! Easy come, easy go. He lives for himself, refusing to risk what he sees as his; as a result, he lost what he had. His weakness, insensitivity.
Recreant Dan simply stayed on his ships (5:17). He was consumed with self-interests, his days full of imports and exports. You dare to interrupt my normal day? His weakness, the blight of individualism.
Recreant Asher celebrated life on the seashore (5:17). He fell in love with the life of ease., quite undisturbed by needs of others, he preferred a life of security and comfort. Do not change anything! His weakness, the lull of insipidity.
Samuel Ridout, a preacher of distinction said:
You and I never will be worth anything unless we make God’s interests first. I do not care who you are; I do not care how little or much you have to do. My brothers, if you make your business more important than God’s, if you make your household concerns, family concerns, education or business concerns, even the things of daily life; if these things are more important to you than the concerns of God’s people, you have no wish to engage in the conflict with Him.
Emotions and commitment evaporate very soon if they are not used to drive the wheels of your conduct. Notice verse 18: Zebulun was a people who despised their lives even to death, and Naphtali also, on the high places of the field.
Thoughts:
Their emotion and commitment carried them into the field of battle with no regard for risk because they sought to serve God first.
People in education and in business need always to have the willingness to help others; is indicative of moral fiber.
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14).
What does your willingness, commitment, and faith look like today before holy God? If it is right before Him, it will be right before others.
