The Monday Memo from John Stanko

854: Liberating His Power

THIS ENTRY WILL BE THE EPILOGUE IN MY SOON-TO-BE-RELEASED BOOK PURPLE POWER: STORIES OF PURPOSE WOMEN IN THE BIBLE.

As you may know, I just returned from leading a pilgrimage tour of Israel and then Rome. I have been to Israel many times and Rome once before, so this was not new territory for me. In Israel, however, there is always something new to see because there are ongoing and new archaeological digs that bear fruit.

         On this trip, we made an afternoon visit to a new site located at the biblical fishing village of Magdala, which was home to Mary Magdalene. This site was discovered a few years ago when someone started construction on a new hotel in Galilee. Before long, they realized they were on to something special. Led by teams from Mexico, the site has uncovered a first-century synagogue that Jesus almost certainly would have visited, since we are told He traveled and taught in synagogues throughout the Galilee region. We also saw the remains of the fish market where fish from men like Peter and John was brought to treat and sell.

The Encounter Chapel

We were led by a delightful 18-year-old woman from Mexico who spoke very good English with an endearing accent. After we looked through the ruins, our guide took us to a brand new spiritual center on fringe of the grounds called Duc in Altum. The name is Latin for “launch into the deep,” which is what Jesus told Peter to do in Luke 5:4. The Duc in Altum center houses the Women’s Atrium, the Boat Chapel, Mosaic Chapels, and the Encounter Chapel.

The Encounter Chapel is in the lower level of the center and is a large room with an altar for Mass celebrations. The floor is the original stone floor on Magdala itself, but it was there that I had an encounter with the Lord that I was not expecting. I urge you to go to the Magdala website, click on Visit and select Encounter Chapel in the drop-down menu (I did not include it here for copyright purposes, but I promise the trouble of finding this picture will be worth your while). There you will see a painting of a women’s arm reaching through a mass of men’s legs to touch the hem of a man’s garment. Of course, this painting commemorates the story found in all three Synoptic gospels of the woman who had an incurable flow of blood:

Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace” (Luke 8:40-48).

Our guide explained that the Duc in Altum center is dedicated to the women in Scripture who found healing and identity in Christ. Who better to represent those women that this woman from Luke 8. But there’s more.

The picture you will see on the site shows her hand coming through the legs of those around Jesus just a few inches off the ground. I had never considered that for this woman to touch Jesus’ hem, she had to humble herself and kneel down, perhaps even prostrate herself, risking being stepped on by those who were not paying attention to her but were crowding around Jesus, the celebrity rabbi.

The painting shows her finger touching the garment, and her finger is a shiny, vibrant yellow from the encounter. This is in stark contrast to the rest of her arm, which is pale and ashen from years of suffering with her condition. When we went to Rome and witnessed Michelangelo’s famous painting in the Sistine Chapter of God touching Adam’s finger, it made me think of that woman depicted in the Magdala chapel, who also became alive and fully human when she touched not God’s finger but His garment. But there’s more.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE FROM AN 18-YEAR-OLD

As our young guide unfolded the story in Luke 8 for us, she translated what Jesus said after the woman touched Him in a way that I had never heard before. Jesus asked who touched Him and the disciples dismissed His query because of the crowd surrounding Him, some who were undoubtedly touching Him. In the NIV translation above, Jesus responded, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” The guide translated that to be Jesus saying, “I know that someone liberated power from me.”

“Liberated power from me.” The power was in Jesus and all those surrounding Him were not liberating or releasing that power. They did not have any needs or they did not believe their needs could be met simply by touching Jesus. The women in the story and painting did, however, and Jesus informed her that her faith had liberated the power in Him so she could be healed.

What’s more, a woman with a flow of blood would “contaminate” the man who touched her, rendering him unclean for worship or sacrifice. Not so with Jesus. He could touch women in their frail and feminine state and be none the worse for the encounter. Instead, the woman was made clean and whole.

As you seek your purpose, whether male or female, you must humble yourself, as this woman did, and seek to touch Jesus in a way that will empower you to have what you need to fulfill your purpose. If one of the stories in this book has moved you, go back and read it again. Study that person or principle for yourself in the Bible and liberate the power that is waiting for you as you touch the Lord. When you do, you will come alive like never before, and Jesus will always notice when you touch Him in faith, just like He did in the case of the woman. Have a blessed week!

849: Proverbs 31

This is the last in our series on women of purpose in the Bible, which began last August. After this, I will compile all 22 entries into one document, write an introduction and conclusion, edit, and then go forward with the production process to publish this material as a book. The title will be The Power of Purple: Women of Purpose in Scripture. I will let you know when it is available.

As we close out this series, let's look at what Proverbs 31:10-31 had to say about a virtuous woman. When I teach purpose, I tell women that motherhood and marriage are roles and not a purpose. Children will eventually leave home and spouses can go home to the Lord before the wife as well, so a woman's roles at home change over time.

Her life purpose, however, does not change, and she must learn to feed and develop that purpose even when she is her busiest as children grow or as her marriage evolves and matures. I am going to move beyond any references to marriage, however, which are minimal (her husband is mentioned three times, her children once, and her household or family three times), and analyze the verses that describe the ideal traits and work habits of this composite picture of godly femininity.

WORK

The Proverbs 31 woman pursues her interests outside the home, making sure that her endeavors are a blessing to those closest to her:

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers (31:13-19).

This ideal women pursues her business interests with eagerness and enthusiasm, and what she does is profitable. She seems to follow her heart interests, with little direction besides building a successful career. The references to her work - the spindle, a vineyard, a field, trading - were common activities when these verses were written, but would undoubtedly be greatly expanded today to include medicine, teaching, business, social work, or ministry. Notice that she had servants to help her carry out her duties. I have often recommended that women who need help managing their household affairs find other women whose purpose it is to manage private matters and hire them to do that for them! Today's Proverbs 31 woman would apply the same traits of diligence, good business practices, and reinvestment of her profits into her work as this original model woman is seen doing.

INVOLVEMENT

The Proverbs 31 woman is also involved in the needs of the world around her.

She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness (31:20-27).

This woman helps the poor from her own funds and is a strong woman in her own right. She speaks with wisdom so she teaches others (with modern social media, this practice can be achieved from the comfort of one's own kitchen). There seems to be little purpose input from her husband if she is married, and if she is not married, then she would be quite free to pursue her business interests in a way that blessed and served other people.

THE CONCLUSION   

The writer concluded this chapter and the book of Proverbs with these verses:

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate (31:30-31).

The efforts of a Proverbs 31 woman were to be recognized by those around her. This woman realized her worth was not based on her looks or charm, but rather on the value she brought to those around her, whether single or married. The beneficiaries of her focus and virtue were to honor, recognize, and encourage her worth.

All this is summarized to say that the Proverbs 31 woman is a woman of purpose. She knows who she is and what God wants her to do. She is a blessing to those closest to her because she bears fruit according to her gifts in the sphere to which God has called her. She is true to her roles of mother, wife, daughter, niece, sister, or friend while pursuing the will of God for her life.

The lessons here are clear. God created Eve to be Adam's helpmate, not his maid. In other words, Eve had her own purpose that complemented Adam's but was not subservient to it. The Proverbs 31 woman is a picture of what God had in mind for Eve, but of course the Fall impacted her purpose just like it did for men. Jesus came, however, to reverse the effects of the Fall and that was to restore the power of purpose in everyone's life, including women. The Proverbs 31 woman was free to be herself, and she is now more than ever because of the work of the cross.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I hope this series has helped you, whether male or female, to realize that women are equal to men where purpose is concerned. The Bible is full of stories that depict women as leaders, creators, and entrepreneurs. Those women were not renegades or the exception to God's plan for women, but examples of His desire to use women without permission from their male counterparts. If you are a woman, I hope you will embrace the power of your purpose because of what you have read here. if you are a man, I trust you will see that women are co-heirs of the purpose message and are worthy of resources and attention so they can pursue and reach their potential.

Thank you so much for your feedback during these last seven months, and now it's on to the publishing process. While I do that, I expect you all to pursue your purpose. Have a blessed week!

848: Mary and Martha

In this next-to-the-last chapter in our series of women of purpose in the Bible, I want to look at two sisters who broke all the stereotypes of how women in Israel were expected to act and relate to the Lord. Their names were Mary and Martha and their brother was Lazarus. Neither appears to have been married or a mother of children, but they kept a home with their brother a few miles from Jerusalem. There are three stories that involve the sisters, so let's look at those stories to see what we can learn.

MARY

Here is the first account and it is the best known of the three:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:38-42).

Most interpretations of this story depict Martha as a busy worrywart who didn't spend time with Jesus because she was concerned with worldly or everyday, practical things. That is true in part, but that's not the most important lesson from the story. If you ever go to Israel and visit the Western or Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, you will find that it is a segregated wall. There is a fence and to the right of it stand the women, while the men go to the left side, which includes not only the wall, but a synagogue prayer area out of view that is even closer to where the Holy of Holies was located.

Mary crossed the fence, so to speak, and had the audacity to sit at Jesus' feet, in effect saying, "I have as much right to sit and listen to Jesus as any man does." Martha was not only offended that Mary wasn't helping her with dinner preparations, she was also upset that Mary was stepping outside of cultural norms to do what had never been done, which was a woman establishing a teaching relationship with a Jewish rabbi. Jesus endorsed Mary''s decision and invited Martha, and all women for that matter, to do the same.

MARTHA

Martha is always portrayed negatively in the first story, but let's look at the second account where Martha is the one who is sitting at the feet of Jesus, so to speak:

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:17-32).

Mary stayed at home when she heard Jesus was in town. Perhaps she was angry with Jesus that He had not come to save her brother, or maybe she was too distraught to get up. Either way, it was Martha who talked with Jesus, and what a discussion it was. Martha revealed that she may have been busy in the kitchen, but she was listening. She knew Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. She knew that her brother would rise again at the resurrection of the dead. She knew that she had faith but didn't understand why Jesus had delayed coming. She was honest but she still had faith.

When her sister Mary came, she once again took her position at Jesus' feet, but this time to lament the fact that Jesus had been absent and her brother died. Even in their grief, both women ran and cried out to Jesus just as the psalmists had done centuries before them. They were the new female psalmists of the New Testament, confused and in pain but turning to the Lord even in their disappointment.

MARY AGAIN

Here is the third story:

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (John 12:1-3).

We see that all was back to normal with Martha serving and Mary once again at the feet of Jesus, both women being true to who they were, steadfast in their love and service to the Lord. Mary had a sense that Jesus was heading to His death, so she took what was probably her dowry, the expensive perfume, and poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped them dry with her hair. What a lovely picture of devotion and giving to the Lord what she had that was precious. Martha was doing that as well in her own way, according to her own personality.

These two ladies left women everywhere in every generation a model of how a woman can and should relate to the Lord - and showed the Jesus welcomes the presence and touch of women as well as men (something the Jewish leaders never desired or modeled). The sisters were passionate, forthright, fearless, extravagant, intelligent, spiritual, practical, and dedicated. Jesus was drawn to them as close friends and was not ashamed of their intimacy or offended by their honesty.

If Jesus did not act like He made a distinction between a man and a women follower, then we should not either. If you are a woman, are you coming to Jesus as you are, or as culture (church or societal) dictates you should come? If you are a man, are you open to God's gifts and purpose in the women around you, whether at work, church, or in your home? The lessons of Mary and Martha are many, but the main lesson is this: God welcomes His female servants and isn't afraid to call them friends as well. Have a blessed week!

847: Sarah - God's Princess

This week I want to look at Sarah, Abraham's wife, as part of my series focusing on women of purpose in the Bible. I have gone back and forth on whether to include Sarah for she is not a woman who has drawn a great deal of attention. I don't believe I have ever heard a message preached or read an article written about the lessons to learn from Sarah's life. Perhaps that is also true for you, but after today, you won't be able to say never, for I am going to write about this woman of purpose and explain why I finally decided to include her in this series.

THE NOT-SO-GOOD

Because Abraham is a central figure in the book of Genesis, we also get to know a little about Sarai, which was her birth name. There are a few instances where Sarai made decisions the repercussions of which are still being felt in the Middle East today.

1. A surrogate mother. Sarai was the one who suggested that Abraham sleep with her maid Hagar so the maid could conceive and give Abraham and Sarai a child. We won't go into the ancient custom that allowed this practice, but it did not work out well for any of those involved:

   He [Abraham] slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her (Genesis 16:4-6).
   

2. Laughter and a lie. After Hagar's son, Ishmael, was born, the Lord appeared to Abram and changed his name to Abraham and Sarai's name to Sarah (see Genesis 17). The Lord promised that a child would be born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. Then three visitors came to visit Abraham when he was 99 and Sarah was 90 to report that God's promise was to be fulfilled and Sarah would be pregnant. When Sarah overheard this, she found it humorous:

   So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh" (Genesis 18:18:12-15).
   

3. Ishmael's eviction. After Isaac was born, Sarah decided that it was time for Hagar and Abraham's son Ishmael to go: "But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, And she said to Abraham, 'Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac'" (Genesis 21:9-10).

Now you understand why I was ambivalent about including Sarah in this series, but then I considered all the evidence that qualified Sarah to be a woman of purpose and found enough to warrant her inclusion. Let's look at that evidence now.

THE GOOD

Here is why Sarah is more than worthy to be discussed with other women of purpose.

1. She was a woman of faith. We read in Hebrews 11:11-12: "And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore." Sarah is the first woman mentioned in the Hebrews 11 list of faith champions. Even though she laughed and lied about it, she had faith and with faith, it is possible to please God. This 90-year-old woman believed God's word that she would yet give birth.
   
2. She was submissive. Abram heard the Lord and left his homeland of Ur to travel by faith to the land God promised him. Sarah followed him. On two occasions, Abraham lied about who Sarah truly was since he was afraid the locals would kill him and take Sarah since she was beautiful. In truth, Sarah was also Abraham's half-sister, which is how he introduced her, conveniently concealing the fact that she was also his wife. How did Sarah react? Peter told us in his first epistle: "For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear" (1 Peter 3:5-6).
3. She had a sense of humor. After she was confronted about her laughter and caught in her lie, Sarah memorialized her faults. She named her son Isaac, which meant laughter, explaining, "'God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.' And she added, 'Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age'” (Genesis 21:6-7).
4. She was God's princess. God changed Abram's name, which meant exalted father, to Abraham, faith of a multitude. God changed Sarai's name, which meant my princess, to Sarah, which meant princess: "God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her'" (Genesis 17:15-16). God identified Sarah as His princess, and anyone whom God honors like that deserves to be considered a woman of purpose.

THE LESSONS

The obvious lesson from Sarah's story is that your flaws do not disqualify you from a life of purpose just as hers did not. They also don't prevent you from exercising faith for your purpose, which always pleases God. Even though she was unkind to Hagar, even though she laughed and lied about it, God saw Sarah as His princess and changed her name so that others would recognize that fact as well.

You have strengths and weaknesses and if you are like most people, you underestimate your strengths and overemphasize your weaknesses, feeling they disqualify you from an effective and purposeful life. I urge you to consider Sarah, God's princess, the next time you think your failures or flaws are sufficient to render you useless where God's purpose for you is concerned. Have a blessed week!

846: Rahab

Today the Monday Memo turns 17 years old! I began writing in 2001, starting out with eight subscribers and the hope that the Memo would last a few years. It has lasted more than a few, and I have produced six books from my weekly Memo content. With today's edition number 846, I want to continue our series on women of purpose in the Bible, this week focusing on an Old Testament woman who is mentioned three times in the New Testament, the controversial character named Rahab.

THE NEW TESTAMENT

What does the New Testament have to say about Rahab? The writer of Hebrews wrote, "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient" (Hebrews 11:31). In James' epistle, we read,

You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead (James 2:24-26).

What's more surprising is the third mention of Rahab, this time in Matthew as he outlined Jesus' family tree: "Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David" (Matthew 1:5-6).

What do these three passages tell us? First and foremost, Rahab was a woman of faith, and both James and Hebrews bear witness to that fact. Those two books also indicate that Rahab was a harlot, but more probably she ran a hotel of sorts that served as both a boarding house and a place for women to work their trade as ladies of the night.

Who better to know what was going on in the land than someone who ran a hotel who heard all kinds of stories of what was happening from all around the region? Rahab did indeed hear about the Lord and His works on behalf of His people, and those stories stuck in Rahab's mind and heart. When the spies showed up at her establishment one day, she knew what she had to do to save herself and her family.

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Rahab hid the spies whom Joshua had sent out as scouts, and the mayor of Jericho, assuming they would be staying at her establishment, asked her to turn them over to the local officials. Rahab refused, hiding the spies on her roof while saying they had already departed. The locals believed her and then Rahab lowered the spies from her roof. Before they left, however, she negotiated a deal with them in return for her protective services, something she was accustomed to doing in her line of work (negotiate a deal with men, that is):

Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roofand said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

“Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death" (Joshua 2:8-13).

The spies agreed to her terms but only if she displayed a scarlet rope from her home when they attacked the city. If they could see the rope, they promised to spare her and her family.

FAITH'S REWARD

When Jericho's walls fell and Joshua attacked, Israel kept their promise and spared her household: "But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day" (Joshua 6:25). Not only did Rahab live among the Israelites after that, she married and had children, becoming part of King David's and Jesus' family heritage.

Rahab put her faith in the God of Israel and the God of Israel saved her and her kin. I mentioned in the first paragraph that she is controversial because of what she did for a living and also due to her deception, dare I say her lies, that saved the spies. It's as if the New Testament anticipated some people's misgivings toward her and endorsed her not once, but twice, for the faith she exercised.

If Rahab could exercise faith and please God, then you should be able to so as well. The message of Rahab is that your past sins and your present occupation cannot keep you from purpose if your heart is set on serving the Lord's will for your life. You don't have to be perfect to be a person of purpose, and God has another future for you that isn't related to who you have been up to this point in time. All you have to do is put your trust in Him and He will take care of the rest, as long as you continue to have faith. May the Spirit who helped Rahab help you this week as you seek to break with your past and present to embrace a future of purpose. Have a blessed week!

845: Naomi and Ruth

I continue with our series on women of purpose in the Bible this week, looking at two women whose purpose was woven together into one. The book of Ruth is beautifully-written, even though God is only indirectly referred to throughout the narrative. Even so, His "fingerprints" are everywhere in the story. The book is named after Ruth, but could just as easily have been named after her mother-in-law Naomi. Let's look at their purpose story now.

THE BACKGROUND

Naomi, her husband, and her two sons left Israel due to a famine and went to the land of Moab where the two sons married two local girls, Orpah and Ruth. Soon, their father died and then the two sons died, leaving Naomi a widow with no sons or grandchildren (some have called her the female Job of the Old Testament). Eventually, Naomi decided to return to Israel where she would face a hard life as a widow with no men to support her. She urged her daughters-in-law to stay behind to fend for themselves. Orpah reluctantly did so, but Ruth uttered words that we have often used in wedding ceremony vows:

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her (Ruth 1:16-18).

Ruth proclaimed her loyalty to Naomi, and the women made their way back to Israel but before they did, Naomi changed her name:

“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me" (Ruth 1:20-21).

THE BREAKTHROUGH

When the women returned to Israel, they had no source of income, so Ruth went to work harvesting barley, and that is when the Lord began to work out everything according to a grand master plan that is breathtaking to behold. Ruth just happened to work in a field owned by a man named Boaz who was Naomi's husband's relative. According to Old Testament law, that relative, called a kinsman redeemer, had to marry Ruth and provide for her. It turns out Boaz was already attracted to Ruth because of her reputation:

“I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge" (Ruth 2:11-12).

Naomi coached Ruth through what she should do once she had Boaz's attention. Ruth was obedient, which impressed Boaz once again:

“The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character. Although it is true that I am a guardian-redeemer of our family, there is another who is more closely related than I. Stay here for the night, and in the morning if he wants to do his duty as your guardian-redeemer, good; let him redeem you. But if he is not willing, as surely as the Lord lives I will do it. Lie here until morning" (Ruth 3:10-13).

THE BLESSING

It was not only Boaz who was impressed with Ruth; her exceptional qualities captured God's attention as well. Boaz married her as he promised and they had a son, who also turned out to be a blessing to Naomi, his grandmother: "Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him. The women living there said, 'Naomi has a son!' And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David (Ruth 4:16-17). God not only provided for Ruth but bestowed on her a great honor, for she became the great-grandmother to King David. Ruth from Moab, an enemy of Israel, became part of Jesus' family tree! As a bonus, Naomi, who had changed her name to "bitter," had her joy, hope, and legacy restored. God is good.

Women don''t have to preach, lead a business, or write songs sung by many for God to use them - Ruth is proof of that. Are you serving faithfully, perhaps the members of your family or another person close to you, but it doesn't seem like anyone is watching or paying attention? Then Ruth's example should encourage you to stay the course. Ruth was loyal to one woman, but because she was, she had many admirers, and God was one of them. He not only took care of her, but He also blessed her with offspring who are still blessing God's people today. God knows how to open doors for both men and women, and He has a door with a blessing behind it for you. Armed with that knowledge, I trust that you will have a blessed week!

844: Abigail

The more I search the Bible, the more women of purpose I notice. I wrote last week that we were close to finishing this series and then I will turn it into a book. I will still publish the series, but it will probably take a few weeks longer than I expected to finish. This week, let's examine a remarkable women whose purpose of intercession saved her life, the lives of her servants, and her husband. Her name is Abigail and her story is found in 1 Samuel 25, which I would advise you to read before you proceed.

A NOBLE WOMAN

When Abigail's surly husband Nabal insulted David's men who had come for supplies in return for the security services they had rendered, Abigail heard about it through one of the servants. This tells us that she could be trusted with people's secrets and listened to those around her who were more in touch with what was really going on. Abigail knew she had to act quickly so she assembled some provisions and set off intercept David before he sought revenge against Nabal. While her husband was incapable of leadership, Abigail rose up and led in his place.

When Abigail saw David, she humbled herself, falling prostrate at his feet and begging for mercy in light of her husband's foolish behavior. She showed herself humble, wise, and spiritual, for she framed her remarks in the context of what God had promised to do in David's life:

“Please forgive your servant’s presumption. The Lord your God will certainly make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because you fight the Lord’s battles, and no wrongdoing will be found in you as long as you live. Even though someone is pursuing you to take your life, the life of my lord will be bound securely in the bundle of the living by the Lord your God, but the lives of your enemies he will hurl away as from the pocket of a sling. When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself. And when the Lord your God has brought my lord success, remember your servant" (1 Samuel 25:28-32).

In addition to all her other outstanding traits, Abigail was also a woman of faith. She trusted that the Lord would do for David all He promised He would, and asked that David would remember her on that day. David admitted that Abigail prevented him from carrying out his anger and received her gifts - but that's not all he did.

HER PROMOTION

Because Abigail interceded on behalf of both Nabal and David, God interceded on her behalf as well:

Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died. When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.” She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.” Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife (1 Samuel 25:37-42).

I hope this was not the last time that David consulted Abigail for spiritual advice, and I also hope it was not the last time she took it upon herself to intercede according to the insight and wisdom she had. Regardless of those hopes, Abigail distinguished herself as a woman of purpose, who set an example for all women - all believers for that matter - of courageous intercession.

What insight has God given you through others about circumstances around you? Are you taking it upon yourself to lead the way out? Are you talking with those in power to help peacefully resolve the situation? Are you talking to the Lord, making your petitions known to Him? You don't have to have a title to lead, and you should not shrink back from leading because of gender. Be true to who God made you to be, and let God fight your battles as you step out according to the insight you have, just like Abigail did. As you do, I know you will have a blessed week!

843: The Women at Rome

We are nearing the close of our series on women of purpose in the Bible, which I have decided to turn into a book when it is complete. This week, we will look at a list of women Paul mentioned as he closed his epistle to the Romans and pay particular attention to two of the women named Phoebe and Junia.

THE LIST

When we read Romans 16:1-9, Paul mentioned nine women who were involved in the Roman church. They were Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary, Junia, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis, Rufus' mother, and Nereus' sister. In addition, Paul wrote in verse 11, "I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them." Paul was not only writing to the men, he was addressing the women as equals.

From the list of nine, we can conclude that women played an important role in either establishing or maintaining the church in Rome, which had become significant due to its location. Rome was the capital of the Empire and a crossroads for everything that Rome stood for and cherished. It was also a meeting place for the people of the Empire who had official business.

Women played an important role in the church and Paul acknowledged some of what they did. Priscilla had risked her life for Paul and she led a church in her home along with her husband. Mary worked hard for the Romans saints. Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis were also commended for their hard work, presumably in the church. What work goes on in the church except for evangelism, discipleship, pastoral duties, preaching, and teaching? These women must have been involved in some or all of those activities, sharing the leadership roles in the church with their male counterparts.

Two women stand out in the list and Paul's comments, and they are Phoebe and Junia. Let's look at them apart from the others.

A DEACON AND AN APOSTLE

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me (Romans 16:1-2).

Phoebe had served in the church at Cenchreae, a town close to Corinth. She had distinguished herself to such an extent that Paul entrusted his letter to the Romans for her to deliver. Paul instructed the church to provide whatever she needed. Phoebe was a deacon or a servant and was recognized for her exceptional work with a special mention in Paul's letter. She was traveling just like any man in ministry, and Paul had no reservations about her role or travels.

Then there is the woman Junia: "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was" (Romans 16:7). There is some disagreement over who Junia was or if she was even a woman. The name Junia has also been transcribed as Junias, but that also appears to have been a female or male name. We assume Adronicus was her husband, but he could have been her sibling or brother in the Lord.

Then there is Paul's commendation, which included the words "outstanding among the apostles." That could mean that Junia was well known among the apostles for her contributions to the team. It could also mean that she was an apostle herself. She came to the Lord before Paul, and was imprisoned along with Paul and Adronicus because of her work for the Lord, which leads me to believe that she was more than just a companion. She was a co-worker. The Romans would not have imprisoned a spouse unless she was a nuisance as the male workers had become to Rome. The historic church considered Junia a woman and an apostle (click to enlarge her picture to see the caption), so this assumption of her apostolic role has more than a little credibility.

THE LESSON

Paul gave us two examples of women of purpose who were leaders in the early church, one a deacon and the other an apostle. They had spiritual gifts that distinguished them from their peers. If Paul did not quibble over their gender, and made no qualifying statements that would have caused the church to treat them differently than the men, then we should be careful not to do the same in their case or in the case of modern women who also serve, teach, preach, or stand out for their work in the church and among God's people.

Paul set out the requirements for women in ministry when he addressed the requirements for leadership in 1 Timothy 3:8-11:

In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

Paul had a large task and purpose, which was to establish the Church among the Gentiles. He could not do this without using all the gifted people at his disposal, and some of them were women. The same strategy should be employed today. There are no rules that say a certain number or percentage in leadership must be women, but there are no rules to say that they cannot serve, if their purpose and gifts are proven to benefit God's cause. I am certain that there are many women like Junia and Phoebe who are serving in the church, with many more waiting in the wings. Let's not hinder them but make room in our hearts and ministries for women whom God has chosen to call and take their place alongside men. Have a blessed week!

842: Closer Than a Brother

Let’s continue our series on women of purpose in the Bible. This week we look at a woman who is named more than a dozen times in all four of the gospels, who knew and traveled with Jesus, and who ended up sticking closer to Him than any of His brothers or disciples, except John. She was brave, determined, and loyal, and she received special insight from God as a reward for her courage and tenacity. Her name was Mary Magdalene.

WHAT DO WE KNOW?

We know that Mary was from the Galilee area north of Jerusalem, which was Jesus’ chosen base of ministry operation. At some point, Mary had an encounter with Jesus and was healed or set free as Luke described:

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means (Luke 8:1-3).

When Mary was set free, she became one of the women who traveled with Jesus and ministered to His needs as well as those of His disciples. We cannot overlook how radical it must have been to have a group of women traveling with the disciples who were not their wives.

Whenever Mary Magdalene is listed with other women in the gospels, she is always listed first (except for when she was with Mary the mother of Jesus), which probably indicates that she was a take-charge person who also had some means from which she helped financially support Jesus:

• Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb (Matthew 27:61).
  
• After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb (Matthew 28:1).
  
• It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles (Luke 24:10).
  
• Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25).
  

Mary is most prominently featured in the accounts of Jesus’ death and resurrection, however, and it was there that she distinguished herself as a faithful and fearless servant and disciple, whom women and men would do well to emulate.

CLOSE BY

The gospels tell us that Mary was close by during Jesus’ trial, death march through Jerusalem, His crucifixion, and His death. Mary noted where they buried Jesus but, being a good Jew, she went home for the Sabbath and then came back with at least one other woman to anoint Jesus’ body for burial. It is John that included the most detail about Mary’s activities at the tomb:

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her (John 20:11-18).

Notice that Mary referred to Jesus not as the Lord, but my Lord. She was heartbroken, but she was determined to be loyal to Jesus even after what she thought was the end, and she was rewarded with the first to know that Jesus had come back to life as He had promised.

THE LESSON

Mary, equipped with a revelation of Jesus, went back to the disciples to tell them the good news but they did not believe her right away. Peter and John went running to the tomb, found it as Mary had reported, and then went home. Not Mary. She stayed at the tomb, weeping and mourning that she did not know where Jesus’ body was and was thus unable to complete the task she came to perform. It was then that Jesus revealed Himself to her by calling her by name and once again she went back to the brothers to report what she knew.

Mary instructed these men (dare we say led these men) because she knew Jesus, followed Jesus, was close to Jesus, heard His voice, and had a personal revelation of truth from Jesus Himself. That qualified her to teach and lead, and when all was said and done, that revelation was all she needed to serve Jesus and others effectively. The men dismissed her because they neither believed what Mary reported nor that a woman could teach them much of anything. Does that sound like the church through the ages, even today?

If you are a woman and identify with or resemble Mary, you have undoubtedly learned something from Jesus that isn’t just for other women, it is for everyone. If Jesus was willing to reveal Himself to you, knowing you are a woman – if it didn’t matter to Him that you are a woman – then why should it matter to you or anyone else?

Mary fulfilled the proverb that states “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Who said that person who is close had to be a man? If you are a woman, I urge you to stay close to Jesus and listen to Him call your name. If you are a man, I encourage you to listen to the women in your life who are close to Jesus, and hopefully they will share with you what Jesus has told them – just like Mary Magdalene did.

841: Priscilla

This week's installment in my series on women of purpose in the Bible focuses on a woman who was never named apart from her husband, but was always mentioned first and appeared to be an equal to her husband as they taught, traveled, and pastored. Her name was Priscilla, and her husband's name was Aquila. Let's look at what we know about this woman.

THE INTRODUCTION

We first meet her in Luke's Acts 18 account:

After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them (1-3).

After Paul got to know this couple, Luke reported,

Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:18-19).

Priscilla and Aquila then made a major contribution by equipping a powerful minister named Apollos who needed more depth of understanding about the Way:

He [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately (Acts 18:26).

Luke made it clear that this was not a man who was supported by his wife. No, this was a ministry team and when he thought of them, Luke (as well as Paul) listed them together with Priscilla's name mentioned first. That is quite a statement about her worth and anointing in ministry, but there's more.

THE ENDORSEMENT

Paul wrote his letter to the Romans and had this to say about Priscilla and Aquila: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house" (Romans 16:3-5).

Paul stated that Priscilla was his co-worker who he trusted to pastor, teach, and lead the believers wherever she and her husband were, which included Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome (that also made them missionaries). When Paul wrote to the Corinthians and to Timothy, he mentioned the married team: "The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house" (1 Corinthians 16:19), and "Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus" (2 Timothy 4:19).

THE LESSON

Priscilla was a valuable asset to Paul as was her husband. He saw them both as effective ministers and was not including Priscilla as a concession to Aquila. Her ministry was not endorsed simply because she was married to Aquila; her ministry was sanctioned because God had gifted her. If God had gifted her, then no one had the right to diminish her call simply because she was a woman.

The Church has tried to do its work with one arm tied behind its back when it has attempted to limit or ignore women with Holy Spirit gifts. The same can be said for many other walks of life, like business, academics, and politics. The answer is not to launch a feminist movement so that women in general can be promoted or recognized. The answer is to treat women as men are treated: examine their lives for purpose and gifts and then empower them to operate as God intended.

The lesson from Priscilla is not that every woman married to a man in ministry should be his co-worker in that ministry. That should only happen when she is gifted to do so. When she is, she should be recognized, honored, and utilized as such. When she is not, then she should be released to the purpose God has for her, and equipped by the church for success.

If you are a woman, are you shying away from a role God has for you? Are you trying to embrace one He does not have for you? If you are a man, do you recognize women as equals when God has gifted them to do what you do? Are you empowering women where you work or minister without bias or envy? As you ponder these questions and others that this series may have raised in your mind, have a blessed week!