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The worship song, Steady Heart (lyrics at the end of this post), is a reminder to us to remain steady despite the dark skies or the wild winds that may lie before us. It’s about a steadiness that stays the course despite what we see – or don’t see – before us. It is a steadiness that can only come from, and remain anchored in, the might, sovereignty, and faithfulness of God. It’s a heart that keeps going, a love that keeps hoping, a grace that keeps forgiving, and a faith that keeps believing.
We repeatedly see God calling His people to remain steady despite, what could easily be described as, overwhelming odds. One of those was when the Israelites were preparing to attack their oppressors – the Canaanites.(1) The Israelites were outnumbered. They were unarmed. They had been weakened by their captivity and oppression. The people had abandoned their villages and scattered to the hills. The roads were dangerous and treacherous. Their country had been plundered.
The call had gone out to all of the tribes. Zebulun, Ephraim, Naphtali, Benjamin, Issachar and Manasseh had responded. Gad and Reuben, being on the east side of the Jordan, had been indecisive about whether the battle really concerned them, and had therefore stayed home. Dan and Asher had also decided to remain in the safety of their homes and their harbors, and leave the fighting to others. Judah and Simeon to the south were the furthest removed, so they were either not enlisted or chose not to join in the effort.
“Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles. The people of the LORD marched down against mighty warriors.”(2) But then God unleashed His resources! The wooded slopes of Mount Tabor became a deterrent to the Canaanite General Sisera’s chariots. Heavy rainfall caused the Kishon River to flood,(3) and Sisera’s heavily armed army found it impossible to move. The Canaanites, including Sisera, were left with no choice but to abandon their horses, chariots and heavy weaponry and flee on foot from the Israelites, who God had now given the upper hand. The Israelites declared that even “the stars fought from heaven” that day on their behalf.(4)
Sisera, in panic, fled to find cover. He found what he thought was safety in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, a descendant of Moses’ brother-in-law. As he slept, Jael drove a tent peg through his temple, impaling him to the ground. The mighty Sisera had been slain and defeated “at the hands of a woman”, just as God had said to Barak.(5)
Before the battle had begun, the odds looked woefully against the Israelites. The effort, though well-intentioned, looked doomed from the start, except for two things. First, God had promised to give the Israelites victory. It was already theirs before the first blow had occurred. Victory was theirs even before they arrived at Mount Tabor. God had promised it; therefore it was. All they had to do was stay steady. Second, God was marching ahead of them. He was going before them – to lead them and to make a way. All they needed to do in order to experience His victory was to follow Him and stay steady.
A second illustration of steadiness comes from the New Testament. If it was possible for me to go back in time, one of the events i would like to visit would be the wedding feast Jesus attended in Cana some two thousand years ago.(6) And if i was able to visit, i would want to attend as one of the servants, not as one of the guests. Perhaps in the scope of eternity, some might think that particular event is not a big deal, but i personally believe it was. And i would expect that the parents of the bride and groom would agree with me.
The attendance at the wedding was apparently larger than expected. The guests were reveling in the hospitality and the celebration of the moment. And all of a sudden someone realized that the supply of wine had run out. The shame and embarrassment to the host would be huge. Running out of refreshments for your guests is always a concern for hosts but, for those in the Middle East in the first century, this would have tarnished their image and their standing as a family in their community for years to come. This was not only a major social “pho-pa”; this would impact their influence, their livelihood, and their respect among the people of their village, their synagogue, and that entire region. Somehow the matter came to Mary’s attention – either she was told or she observed it. Understanding the implications, she turned to Jesus. Then Jesus turned to the servants.
He invited the servants to be a part of a miracle He was about to perform. The invitation came through a word of instruction from Mary to the servants. She said, “Do whatever He tells you.”(7) The servants needed a miracle – not only would the hosts pay the price for this oversight, so would the servants – someone had failed to properly plan. (Incidentally, that’s always true of miracles – and victories – you don’t experience one until you need one!)
Jesus told the servants to fill the jars to the brim with water. Being respectful servants, they did exactly what He had told them. But it was the next moment that was the most critical. It was the moment to remain steady.
It was the moment when Jesus told the servants to “dip some of the water out and take it to the master of ceremonies.”(8) We don’t read that they ever hesitated. Unlike Barak, they didn’t hedge their obedience. They seized the moment. i’m not sure if it was Mary’s faith, or the servants’ faith that day; i tend to think it was the latter. And i believe they experienced a victory over what for them could have been a catastrophic failure, because by faith they remained steady and did what Jesus told them to do. The guests enjoyed the blessing of Jesus’s miracle that day, but the servant’s experienced the victory.
The Israelites experienced the victory over the Canaanites at Tabor because they followed God and remained steady despite the circumstances that were surrounding them. i have no idea what you may be encountering today or how overwhelming the odds you are facing may be. But i know One who is able to take those events and bring about a victory that will bring glory to His Name.
The song of Deborah and Barak concludes with the statement, “… may those who love You rise like the sun in all its power!”(9) i pray that we will remain steady in the moment before us, rising brightly like the sun, and experience the victory that our LORD fully intends for us to experience. When we do, the dawn will break, the clouds will part into an open space, and we will run in the fullness of His glory.
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Portions of this post have been taken from chapter 48 of my book Possessing the Promise.
For more information about the Israelites battle with the Canaanites, read Judges chapter 4 – 5. Also, you can read about it in my book A Judge Called Deborah.
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(2) Judges 5:13 (NLT)
(3) Judges 5:21
(4) Judges 5:20 (NLT)
(5) Judges 4:9
(6) John 2:1-11
(7) John 2:5 (NLT)
(8) John 2:8 (NLT)
(9) Judges 5:31 (NLT)
Copyright © 2023 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.
Photo by Ponda on Lightstock
Steady Heart
[Verse 1]
I can’t see what’s in front of me
Still I will trust You, still I will trust You
And I can’t see what’s in front of me
Still I will trust You, still I will trust You
[Chorus]
Steady heart that keeps on going
Steady love that keeps on hoping
Lead me on
Steady grace that keeps forgiving
Steady faith that keeps believing
Lead me on
[Verse 2]
Though the sky is dark
And the wind is wild
You’ll never leave me, You’ll never leave me
[Verse 3]
Though the night is long
There is a coming dawn
The light is breaking, the light is breaking
[Chorus]
Steady heart that keeps on going
Steady love that keeps on hoping
Lead me on
Steady grace that keeps forgiving
Steady faith that keeps believing
Lead me on
Steady heart that keeps on going
Steady love that keeps on hoping
Lead me on
Steady grace that keeps forgiving
Steady faith that keeps believing
Lead me on
[Interlude]
[Outro]
And as the dawn breaks
And the clouds clear
In an open space
Together we will run
Written by Steffany Gretzinger, Amanda Lindsey Cook
© 2014 Bethel Music Publishing (ASCAP).