Deborah
Light a candle and remember the presence of God is with you.
Cut out the pieces to help you tell this story.
There are times and places when women are treated as less important than men.
This is not right. God loves us all. (Pause.)
Yet, my name is still a part of God’s story.
Your name is also a part of God’s story. (Draw a heart with your finger.)
My name is DEBORAH.
Place Deborah in front of you.
My story is in the story of the judges.
Take time to look at the Bible timeline at the bottom.
I was one of 12 judges who helped guide God’s people through a hard time.
I was the only woman.
The people of God had been sad for 20 years under a mean ruler.
God’s people did not always listen to God.
I would sit under a palm tree and listen to God’s people cries. There did not seem to be a way for the people to be happy again.
I listened to God. (Pause.)
I continued to listen. (Pause.)
… … … … … Listen… … … … Listen… … … … Listen… … … …
Listen… … … … Listen … … … … Listen… … … …
Listen… … … …
As the fighting continued, I led the people against our enemy with God’s guidance. I had help from Commander Barak and the quick thinking of another woman, Jael.
We defeated the people who had been hurting us.
The Israelites listened to me and I listened to God. The people found peace again for 40 years.
My name is Deborah. I am part of God’s story.
Judges 4:4-5:
(Common English Version)
Deborah the wife of Lappidoth was a prophet and a leader of Israel during those days. She would sit under Deborah’s Palm Tree between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, where Israelites would come and ask her to settle their legal cases.
I wonder…
… if Deborah liked her palm tree?
… what it is like to listen for God?
… if you have ever listened for God?
… how Deborah knew what to do to help God’s people?