As a servant of God do you seek only His Presence, or do you rely on your own devices?

The difference between the works of Barak and Ehud gives us amazing insights into what a servant of God should seek.

Judges 3:12- 30 describes the calling of Ehud to deliver Israel from Eglon the Moabite king. Ehud was raised by God to defend the rights of Israel. But in the passage, we do not see Ehud calling on the Lord seeking advice. However, He was true to the call that God had given him. Ehud kills King Eglon, by his cunning devices. The call was Godly. The effort was human in nature. However, the effort bore the necessary fruit. Israel was delivered.

In Judges 4, we see the Prophetess Deborah who is elevated as the Judge of Israel by God. She prophesied and called Barak to go to war to deliver Israel against the powerful King Jabin.

“Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’? – Judges 4:6-7.

However, Barak did not go on his accord seeking glory for himself. He tells Deborah, he will go and lead the armies provided, she the representative of God accompany him. He does not say – Why me? He does not raise a doubt about how he can defeat the powerful armies of Jabin. He only seeks the presence of God to go with him in war.

However, Deborah prophesies again saying, since Barak did not go on his own, the glory of killing Jabin will not be his but will go to an ordinary woman. This does not trigger an adverse reaction from Barak. He seems to not care for Glory, but to just do what God asks him to do through Prophetess Deborah. The only thing he cares about is God’s presence to go with Him. And God rewards him by placing his name among the Faith warriors in Hebrews 11:32 – 33, 'And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, '

God seeks faithful servants, who seek his presence only, when asked to go. They do not doubt. They do not fear. They seek no glory for themselves. But seek to do His will and place themselves in faith into the hands of the One who called them. They may not be glorified by the world around them. They may not become famous and well known. But God Himself glorifies them.

We need more such servants of God like Barak and not the ones seeking their own glory, even though they will achieve what He has called them for. If you are called, seek to glorify Him and crave only for His presence.

Praise the Lord.

Glory to Jesus!