When is the last time you prayed for the ability, desire, and opportunity to lead? (77-2)
Over the next days, the book of Judges will be the source material for these daily leadership devotionals. The book of Judges received its name from the leaders who God gave temporary responsibility for the nation of Israel from the time of Joshua until the beginning of the monarchy. The period of the Judges was about 200 years. Read the book of Judges.
The United States is just over 200 years old, to get a picture of the challenge Israel faced, imagine the USA without a central leader. Not only would each state make their own decisions and determine how to apply the known laws but more likely each county or, as we saw with some of the feuds between families in various parts of the country in the early 1900s (i.e. the Hatfields and the McCoys), probably each family group.
Under Joshua’s leadership, Israel defeated every nation that occupied the land God had promised Israel. After Joshua died, however, the tribes ran into trouble trying to consolidate their inheritance. Turmoil reigned in Palestine. The Philistines pushed in from the Mediterranean Coast, establishing a stranglehold on the region until the time of King David. Other ethnic groups, such as the Midianites, attacked the eastern flank of Israel.
The scattered tribes had grown divided and weak. They lacked a strong leader who could cast a national vision. The last and maybe the most famous verse in the book of Judges speaks volumes: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” (Judges 21:25)
Still, God always raises up a leader for the moment. Whenever suffering grew terrible and the people cried out in despair, God called a leader (a judge) to deliver the people from oppression. Sometimes judges were effective godly leaders like Gideon or Samuel and at other times they were somewhat more unstable like Samson. In any case, God’s message rings clear, people need leaders. Chaos reigns whenever humankind does whatever is right in their own eyes. Order, organization, communication and unity become impossible when “everyone did (does) as he saw (sees) fit.”
If God has chosen to use you as a leader and gifted you to lead, has given you the opportunity to lead and has filled your heart with the desire to lead, thank God for the honor. Without leaders chaos will reign in your family, workplace and church.
When is the last time you prayed for the ability to lead, the desire to lead and the opportunity to lead? When is the last time you thanked God for the leadership position you hold be it at the top of an organization, or a place where you lead from the middle, or simply leadership in your home?
