Trinity United Methodist Church: Daily Scripture Devotion for Monday, 17 February 2014 "Judges - Deborah"

Trinity United Methodist Church: Daily Scripture  Devotion for Monday, 17 February 2014 "Judges - Deborah"
Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.  She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah an Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided (Judges 4: 4, 5).
Imagine your favorite, very large roller coaster - and there you have the Book of Judges.  Yes, it's true because the entire book is a series of lows (the oft repeated phrase: "And Israel did what was evil in the sight of The Lord") with its turning its back on God and being ruled and oppressed by others, followed by a series of highs, in which God anoints someone as a ruler or judge (hence the name) to lead Israel back to God.  This lasts for awhile, until the next period of waywardness - all a fairly common story still today!
Already we have met Othniel and Ehud and Shamgar, and now the great leader of Israel, Deborah, a prophetess and a judge. Deborah is one of the abundance of reasons that we support the idea of Women being ordained clergy and leaders in the Church. The Old Testament, and especially Jesus and the NT, saw no distinction when it came to such matters as leading God's people. I'm so grateful that the United Methodist Church recognizes this Biblical idea and practices it, and has done so for many years. Deborah paved the way, and Ruth and Esther  and Priscilla and Lydia and Susannah followed, and Catherine Fluck Price and Amber Massingill, and Ann Robertson, and Marsha Wiggins Frame and Esther Rodriguez continue to lead the way.  Those
churches which prohibit the ordination of women are far the poorer for it; we pray that they will one day come to see the biblical light and follow it.
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