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Yes, it's September and I haven't been as regular as I would like. Lots of things going on offline, however if wouldn't be fair for me to just drop the ball, totally. Is that even possible...when you drop a ball, isn't it just dropped totally? Okay then, now picking the ball back up. :)
My photo today is of some of the pumpkins I've harvested, so far. The rest (about 30) will be harvested in the next couple of weeks. That's the scarecrow I bought to put in the garden to scare the birds away, but then I decided I didn't want him to get dirty. So he hasn't even seen the garden, much less spent a night there. lol
Well, I had said that in the month of August I was expecting God to do great and mighty things. And God did! Some of it is kinda hard to explain as it was spiritual. I'll try my best to share it. But have you ever heard that some things can't be "taught, but must be caught?" I think that's it...it can't be truly explained but must be experienced.
So probably the best way to start to explain it, would be to look in the 4th chapter of Judges at the events that happened during the time that Deborah was a judge in Israel. Awesome stuff. Deborah is one of my favorite women in the Bible. I've read these two chapters (4&5) in Judges countless times. Here Israel was under the oppression of a Canaanite king who had 900 iron chariots, and God's people didn't have any thing equal to face such a formidable foe. And God used a woman, Deborah, to raise up an army to fight and bring about deliverance.
Now Deborah, who was a prophetess, had already been navigating conflict (as a judge) between the people for 20 years, before she had an "awakening" and rose to the rightful position that God had ordained for her. In the victory song, sung after they won the battle, it outlines the events from beginning to end. (Judges 5) To share just couple of verses that lay the foundation...
"The highways were deserted,
And travelers walked along the byways
Village life ceased, it ceased in Israel
Until I, Deborah, arose
Arose as a mother in Israel" (vs 4-5)
"Awake, awake, Deborah!
Awake, awake, sing a song! (v 12)
When Deborah begins her song, she is telling how life was in Israel...village life had ceased, the highways were deserted, the people were living oppressed and basically hidden. The community was dead. Dead until she, Deborah, arose and took her place as a leader. When she had her awakening, and took her place, the whole community benefited and flourished.
As I said before, I've read these chapters many times. But I finally saw,with God opening my eyes through a teaching I heard by Lisa Bevere, that Deborah had to have this awakening before she rose up to her full potential to do all that God had for her to do. And she helped liberate a nation. It was like a whack on the side of my head.
God used this to truly awaken me to some things I had not fully realized about my self and what He had ordained for me to be and do. My eyes have been opened, and instead of berating myself for not living it sooner, I remember Deborah was judging for 20 years before she arose to her full position and potential. So it's never too late.
And that's just one of the things He did. There are others that dug just as deep, and were just as earth-shaking. Alas! These "AHA" moments are hard to explain as they must be experienced.
But...just think. We all have the potential to go further than we already have. And we all have something that will make life better for others. And just think, if Deborah never rose to her potential, how bad life would have continued for those around her.
Does it make you wonder if there are some areas in you that need to be awakened? You never know until you ask the One who knows, as He is the only one that knows all that He has put within you.
