Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.” Judges 4:8 HCSB
Have you ever attempted to do something that was a bit difficult or scary and you wanted someone to go with you? I know of people who have gone on a roller coaster, skydiving, scuba diving, or mountain climbing and they wanted someone to go with for support rather than attempting the task alone.
Was Barak a coward or did he really need the support of Deborah to go and do what God commanded? Did he think that Deborah's presence would bring God's favor and victory in battle? We really don't know, but we do know that he would not take God at His Word and trust in what God had told him to do. It demonstrated that Barak trusted in Deborah and human strength more than he trusted in God's strength and ability to destroy the enemy, even though God had promised him victory.
Challenge: A person of faith will step out and do what God has commanded without hesitation, trusting in God to bring victory in any situation or challenge. Even if the person has to go alone, he knows that God will be with him. Trust in God and follow His leadership and direction even if it means that you have to go against the crowd and stand alone for what you believe is right.
Read The Bible Through In Two Years: Proverbs 1; Matthew 19:1-15