Judge – Called To Work

73. Created and Called – God Calls Women to Lead

February 16, 2026

Scripture Reading: Judges 4:6-9, 14-16

The story of Deborah shows us a godly woman at work, commissioned by God for leadership during a tremendously difficult time. Deborah’s work was both legal and military. As a judge she settled people’s disputes. She also set military strategy for Israel’s generals, as we see her doing in Judges 4:6-9. Inspired by wisdom from God, she directs Barak, a general, about how to defend the nation of Israel. Barak lacks Deborah’s confidence, so he refuses to go to war without her. Deborah agrees. She goes with the soldiers to the battlefield and delivers such a stirring pep talk in Judges 4:14 that Barak gains enough confidence to do his job successfully.

No other leader in the book of Judges is also called a prophet like Deborah is in Judges 4:4. By this characterization she is similar to Moses and Joshua, to whom God also spoke directly. Deborah led confidently because God put her in leadership and spoke to her about what she should do in that role. Deborah knew that God would help her. This is where Deborah’s confidence came from.

God gifted Deborah, and he gave her success in a time of crisis, even with a poorly equipped army led by a frightened general. Successful working women are not a new phenomenon. God has raised up women as leaders throughout history in many different fields. If you need confidence in your work, look no further than Deborah, who took her confidence from her relationship with God and from the surety that God would help her in her work.

Prayer: God, you have put me in my place of work today. Guide my words and actions. Help me lead with confidence, knowing that you are with me. Amen.

Further Exploration: For more on Deborah and women’s leadership, read the Theology of Work Bible Commentary’s article on Deborah .

Author: Theology of Work Project

Theology of Work Project Online Materials by Theology of Work Project, Inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.theologyofwork.org

You are free to share (to copy, distribute and transmit the work), and remix (to adapt the work) for non-commercial use only, under the condition that you must attribute the work to the Theology of Work Project, Inc., but not in any way that suggests that it endorses you or your use of the work.

Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

69. Tuning into God – Mindfulness

January 19, 2026

Scripture Reading: Matthew 6:25-34

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to what you’re paying attention to right now.

Focusing on the here and now helps you tune into God – wherever you might find God in the present moment.

It’s hard to tune into God when you’re preoccupied with worries about the future. When Jesus taught his followers to let go of their anxiety, he pointed out concrete examples in the world they could see all around them. The flowers in the field and the birds flying overhead aren’t troubled by worry. When you practice mindfulness, you become more like birds and flowers – present and attuned to God’s provision.

You might start a mindfulness practice by paying attention to the natural world you see around you. If your mind starts to wander into the future, gently bring it back to the present moment.

You can practice mindfulness by being fully present to whatever you experience in the moment, whether it’s birds flying overhead or the work project in front of you.

In the introduction to “The Devout Life,” St. Francis de Sales describes the spiritual discipline this way: “If you have gone astray, quietly bring your soul back to the presence of God.”

Practice mindfulness:

· Take a moment to still your body and mind. If thoughts about the future trouble you, give yourself permission to put those issues on hold.

· Pay attention to what you’re paying attention to right now.

· Let go of the need to judge it – just give the present moment your full attention.

· Thank God for sharing this moment with you.

Prayer: God, sustain me in this present moment as you sustain all of your creation.

Further Exploration: Read about what a mindful workplace looks like.

Author: Theology of Work Project

Called To Work

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73. Created and Called – God Calls Women to Lead

69. Tuning into God – Mindfulness

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