Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, not that Ehud was dead. So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried for the Lord for help.

Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’ Barak said to her, ‘If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.’

‘Certainly I will go with you,’ said Deborah. ‘But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.’

Judges 4:1-9

Women lead and women decide. Women prophecy and women protect. Women watch over and women take charge. Women are chosen by God to watch over nations and are chosen by God to overthrow nations. Deborah the prophet, the judge, was no exception. She was but an example of where women belong.

Rest in power RBG. Thank you for how you set an example for all of us women and warriors to do what is right and to lead a life that is marked by integrity and dissent. Thank you for fighting hard for us even while you were fighting hard to stay alive. We will honor you by choosing to live our lives in a way that bring others together and elevate the integrity of humanity. We will honor your legacy by stepping in even when we are exhausted, even when it feels so late in the game, even when we know our time is coming to an end. You showed us how to keep going and you showed us no is a good answer. We love you. We honor you. You are marked by God and as you rest in Shalom, may you continue to preside over this nation. We need your vibes.