Song of Victory

Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys, you who sit on rich carpets and you who walk by the way. To the sound of musicians at the watering places, there they repeat the triumphs of the Lord, the triumphs of his peasantry in Israel. Then down to the gates marched the people of the Lord. "Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake utter a song!" Judges 5:10-12a NRSV

This is a song of victory. But it is a song of victory for the little people. The rich - those who sit on white (?) donkeys and rich carpets - tell the song but it is the regular people who actually carried out God's victory. Two women - Deborah and Jael- and all the peasants of Israel have done the hard work. Now the rich people get to sing about it.

Isn't that just like today? Our favorite sports team may do the actual winning but we all act like it is our victory! We are the ones yelling, high-fiving and screaming "Number one!" Praising and singing about a victory - even if we had little to do about it - comes to us quite naturally.

Too bad we don't have equal enthusiasm for God like we do for our teams.

In our church, football season is about to become the priority in folks' lives. Many will choose not to come to worship, participate in Bible classes, nor commit themselves for any long-term project. The victory song for the football team will take precedent over the victory song for God's team.

Yet, God wants our song for God's sake.

God, you want your team to be number one in our lives. But you know how caught up we are going be with football this fall. Open our hearts to put you first in all things. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Question for the day: What victory song can you sing this day in God's honor?

Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims