Today’s Devotion
Topic: VULNERABLE IN SLEEP!
Text: Judges 4: 18- 21
18 Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. 19 “I’m thirsty,” he said. “Please give me some water.” She opened a skin of milk, gave him a drink, and covered him up.
20 “Stand in the doorway of the tent,” he told her. “If someone comes by and asks you, ‘Is anyone in there?’ say ‘No.’” 21 But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died. Amen
The commander of the army of Canaan, Sisera, was a mighty soldier. He had 900 chariots fitted with iron and cruelly oppressed the Israelites for 20 years.
God heard the cry of His people and sent prophetess Deborah to instruct Barak to match 10,000 men against Sisera. God was going to deliver Sisera into the hands of Israel.
But Barak would not go unless the prophetess promises to come along. Deborah therefore agrees to go to battle with him but warns that due to his lack of confidence, the glory of the victory will be given to a woman.
On the day of the battle, Barak and the armies of Israel totally defeated the army of Canaan. All of them fell by the sword except for Sisera the commander. He fled by foot to a tent owned by Heber and wife Jael. The exhausted commander was put to sleep by his hostess (Jael) and a tent peg was pushed through his temple. He died instantly.
Precious One, all men are VULNERABLE IN SLEEP, except those who dwell in the secret place of the MOST HIGH and abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
You may be the most important individual on the planet yet you can never be fully conscious of yourself and environment when you sleep. Employing another individual to watch over you while you sleep is almost like putting your fate into their care. Yet they too need someone to watch over them when they sleep.
Sisera felt most secured under the tent of Jael. When he requested for water, and was given milk. He must have asked himself “what can possibly go wrong?”. He even asked Jael to guard the door while he slept. He was never to wake up from that sleep.
Beloved, don’t be like skilled commander Sisera who trusted everything was under control. We are mortals, we are limited. We neither have it all nor know it all. Submit your life to Jesus then you can say with David “in peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4: 8).
Begin to pray now… ask the Lord to watch over all you do and say. Remember, He that watches over Israel shall never slumber nor sleep.
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