SHE HEARD is the first for-purchase devotional published by Deliberate Women. Over the next eight weeks, we'll be reading reflections written by our readers of the eight Biblical women featured in SHE HEARD. Up today: MARY MAGDALENE There is something about Mary Magdalene that is to be admired and sought after. Her complete and utter devotion to Jesus is unparallelled. She is the perfect example of someone who had been delivered by Christ from great anguish and let that serve as a foundation for her relationship with Him. I examine my life and know that I have a long way to go in the devotion area. I love the Lord with all of my heart. God, in most ways, has been and is all I have. He has been the only constant and consistent force in my life. I pretty much grew up like an only child, an orphan in many regards. That has been hard but necessary. I honestly don't know that I would want it any other way. My experiences have shown me how to fully depend on God for love, healing, provision, purpose, hope and my very life. I suspect Mary Magdalene viewed Him in the same way. [In answering the Digging Deeper Questions found at the end of Mary Magdalene's chapter:] 1) Mary Magdalene had the same call that all of us do...to love God and make Him known. To follow Him is by no means easy, but it is simple. He is never the one who complicates this faith walk. 2) I became a Christian in my Sophomore year of college. I threw myself into my pursuit of Jesus. I joined numerous Christian ministries on campus. I started going to a local church and college Bible studies. I began leading youth and going on mission trips. This year, I will have been a believer for 17 years. That blows my mind! I have learned and grown. I have failed in my attempts to be like Christ, but He is more faithful than I could ever hope to be. I can say that almost 20 years in, I am more in love with Him than I have ever been. He has been so good to me to have placed me in strong and godly community that never let me stray to far from the truth of God's word and love for me. 3) Following Jesus is rarely glamorous. It is filled with a ton of seemingly inconsequential, mundane moments. The valleys can outweigh the mountaintops. Even so, He is worth it. His will, His way can often be small. But know that in eternity, it's the small things that have a lasting impact. 4) Recently, the subject of spiritual gifts has been surfacing at every turn. We all want to know how God has wired us and what we have been created for. I believe that faith is one of mine. I surprisingly don't struggle with the abstract areas of Christianity. I'm pretty good at standing strong in my convictions. That's the joy of being 35. The thought of persecution, in any form, almost strengthens my convictions. Again, having solely God to fulfill my every need has created this white hot devotion for Him. More and more, I come to acknowledge the non-negotiables of following Him. It makes dying to myself and taking up my cross a delight. 5) I hope that I know His voice well enough to recognize His voice. I have been in situations with people where I have given them a word of encouragement or challenge. Time after time, they tell me that they know it was a word from God and that I shared it at just the right time. Those are the moments when I know that I have poured myself out in order for Him to fill and flow through. 6) I believe that I have and continue to follow godly direction in my life that will lead me to the places God has for me. I'm not one for making snap decisions. I tend to be methodical and a planner. I'm not a risk taker. I move with extreme caution. The Lord has faithfully been revealing His purpose for me and faithfully surrounding me with community to encourage me and support me in it. I don't want to rush this process. I want to wait for His best plans and His best timing. May we all be like Mary Magdalene... Grateful Trustworthy Faithful This is the life that has been forgiven, healed, saved, delivered and responds with nothing but a life of worship. Karina Allen is devoted to helping women live out their unique calling and building authentic community through practical application of Scripture in an approachable, winsome manner. You can connect with Karina through her blog, For His Name and Renown, monthly at incourage.me and purposefulfaith.com or on Twitter. She is featured in Dawn Camp's most recent release, 'The Gift of Friendship'.
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SHE HEARD is the first for-purchase devotional published by Deliberate Women. Over the next several weeks, we'll be reading reflections written by our readers of the eight Biblical women featured in SHE HEARD. Up today: ABIGAIL I have a picture in my home that serves as a great reminder. The setting is beautiful, a lake without ripple, with the sun setting at the horizon. The simple words written at the bottom speak volumes to a woman on a pursuit to engrave the Lord’s Righteousness in her heart. She seeks the purity of unwavering righteousness to be continually displayed through her words, responses and actions, regardless of the situation she faces. Don’t allow others to pull you into their storm, instead draw them in to your Peace” ~ Unknown When I look to my younger self, I see how I allowed my emotions and circumstances to determine the outcome in many situations. As a result, I find great importance in holding firm to the Peace of God. When we allow a negative emotion to move us, our actions tend to follow… often resulting in an unfavorable outcome. In learning to live from the inside–out, we realize that what we have on the inside, the very gifts God has equipped us with, are far greater than any pull we can face from the outside. I see Abigail as an unmovable woman. If she would have been one to allow fear to overtake her, it could have turned the course of her victory. Abigail was an unwavering righteous woman, on a pursuit for good, regardless of the storm around her. She held firm to who she was, regardless of the circumstances. She didn’t allow her actions to be driven by anger, selfishness or fear. She was not drawn into the negative situation; instead she boldly set out to bring good to it. Abigail’s actions showed a reflection of who she was. Her favorable actions created a favorable outcome. Abigail’s heart was purposed to do the right thing. She could have responded in various ways, but she wisely set her heart to act quickly to diffuse a difficult situation. Her mission was to promote peace, and to create a favorable outcome for all concerned. Abigail’s actions revealed her true character. The servants chose to approach Abigail, instead of her husband Nabal, with the news of the imminent threat. Abigail's character was surely known to the servants, leading them to trust her to respond to the situation with wisdom. In her actions that followed, we see a beautiful picture of who she was by how she handled the situations she found herself in. She acted with bravery and quickly brought peace to a volatile situation. She was gracious in her giving, and humbly offered her honor and respect to David. Her heart of compassion was shown as she placed her own life at risk, to protect the lives of many. Her heartfelt care was shown as she shared her desire with David for him to be spared the guilt of bloodshed. She also knew the importance of addressing her husband & carefully considered when & how to do so. My heart's biggest desire is to live my life according to His Will. The Lord has brought me through many trials in my life. He has shown me the importance of resting in His peace, obeying His promptings to walk out His plan appropriately. His plans are perfect, although I fail at times. I realize that I am perfectly imperfect & strive with my whole heart to become more like Him daily. Although my heart is surrendered to his Will, there is room to perfect my actions. As displayed by Abigail, our true character is not shown by what we say we believe, or what we want to believe. It's shown by our actions. I believe our emotions can play a large role in responding appropriately, but only if we allow them to. When we allow our hearts to ride a roller coaster with our emotions (as seen with Nabal), our hearts become hardened & rarely respond to situations appropriately. It is important to take notice of the ways we respond when faced with a situation. Do we hold firm to our peace and practice wisdom, or do we allow a negative feeling and impulsive reactions determine the outcome? Abigail, undoubtedly was a lovely woman to be admired. In thinking about her life, I began to wonder if she was always so wise? Were the unpleasant circumstances she encountered the very things that molded her? Was her unwavering drive to do the right thing birthed through facing challenges? Are the things that challenge us to be the very things to mold us? Leaving my comfort zone… and quickly? I laughed as I read the last question [in the Digging Deeper section after Abigail's chapter]. Really… I have to answer this? I don’t know if I should thank God, the writer, or both for this one. In all honesty, I have thought of many ways to avoid answering this question. To do so, I must be very transparent here… this is not fun for me. I don’t want to do it. I want to stomp my feet and plead... “Please Lord, don’t let writing be what you are calling me to do!”. The request to write this came to me a day after It was requested of me to give a sermon to our youth at church. When God calls, it is in very clear terms. For me, it’s usually more of a knowing than a wanting, and a push to step out of my comfort zone. My comfort level in ministry has always been one-on-one, or in a small group with people I know and feel comfortable with. I am drawn to mentoring relationships with youth girls, young women and single moms with hearts that are hurting. The Lord has shown Himself so greatly through the way He rescued my life and transformed me into the woman I am today. My heart is driven to share His love & bring hope to those in need. God has been stirring my heart for months. It may sound strange, but months ago I shared with my husband that the Lord had shown me that something was coming, and to be prepared & obedient when it is presented to me. I still do not know His plan. The requests to write & preach a sermon are both entirely out of my comfort zone. I LOVE sharing about the greatness of our Lord, but if I had a choice I would humbly hide in doing so. The recognition of being on a platform holding a microphone, or submitting a photo & bio for my writing is uncomfortable to me. In all honesty, I feel way out of my league. My options were to be terrified and say no, or to boldly step forward in obedience… so here I am. If for no other reason, acting in obedience is more than enough! The silver lining in obeying both requests is the personal growth I have discovered. I have found great freedom in not-so-simple acts of obedience. The comfort-zone wall built with fear has been removed, and can no longer limit the plans God has for my life. I encourage you ladies: If God is knocking, answer the door. If you are directed outside of your comfort zone... go for it! I believe we are presented with a choice when God knocks. If we choose not to answer, there is no doubt that God will continue to bless our lives. But, in answering, the walls fall down & the door is wide open for the Lord to lead you to the greater blessing he has prepared for you. Join me in believing that the situations we face & the challenging things around us that require our attention, will be used to help us grow into the Righteous Women that God has called on us to be. Connie Kriegel is a wife, mother & owner of a small Real Estate Firm just outside of Austin, Texas. She enjoys spending time with her family, whom the Lord brought together in 2010. She & her husband together have 5 children, ranging in age from 10 to 21. Life is busy, but she wouldn’t have it any other way! She enjoys Christian concerts, watching her children play at sporting events, and spending time soaking in the presence of God. She has great compassion for hurting hearts & Loves to share the Love of Christ. SHE HEARD is the first for-purchase devotional published by Deliberate Women. Over the next eight weeks, we'll be reading reflections written by our readers of the eight Biblical women featured in SHE HEARD. Up today: HANNAH “No, God anything but this. Please Lord, don’t take her away.” Tears of anguish rolled down my face as I sat on the floor of Kmart that day. The very thing I had prayed for – the child I had longed for – was slowly slipping from my hands. The words on the other end of the phone that day were not the ones I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear “She is all yours. Birthmom has signed all the papers and your sweet baby girl is ready for you to come and get her.” Instead, the words I heard were “I am so sorry. They just don’t know that they can go through with this. They know it is best- but their hearts are torn. It isn’t you- but they are not sure they are going to go through with their adoption plan.” Just the day before, I felt like I had every one of my heart's desires. I had met that beautiful baby girl and looked deep into her brown eyes. I touched her soft, brown curls and caressed her sweet cheeks. One day later, it was all over, almost as quickly as it had begun. I can relate to the story of Hannah in such a real way. Like Hannah, I have a barren womb. I long told hold a child of my very own. Like Hannah, I have promised the Lord something that goes along with the desire of my heart. My promise to God- is that He gets the glory. No, I haven’t promised to give my child over to the priest so that they can live with them – but I have promised Him that I would give Him the glory in every aspect of this adoption story. I have promised Him that I would share His love and His truth every opportunity I got. I have promised to raise this child to love Him, and to honor Him – to the best of my ability. I have promised God glory. But, glory doesn’t always come from happily ever after. Actually, if I have learned anything over the last two years, and two failed adoptions- it is that God often gets the glory where it hurts the most. Because in our weakness, He is strong. If I wasn’t weak – He wouldn’t get the glory. Yet, even in these hard moments- and even in Hannah’s hard moments- we can walk by faith. We can choose to take our ordinary, every day lives, and sow seeds of worship. We give live sacrifices of praise to God. As I continue to read Hannah’s story though, I am reminded of the women who every day make hard choices: Choices to love their children enough to let someone else raise them; to want what is best for them above and beyond what we want or think is best- because ultimately, God is in control. These women, they may not all be thinking about God and what He wants- but He is using them to weave stories of grace and glory throughout our world. One month later, I still don’t know why my life was weaved with that birth mom – but I do know this: God has gotten the glory. Even when it is hard, even when it hurts beyond belief – we have allowed the Lord to shine through this moment. Sure, we have asked a lot of questions and cried a lot of tears. Yet, I can say this with the most assurance: My faith and love for the Lord is stronger now – now that I have seen that little girl, since I have met her strong mama, and since I have lost her – than it would have ever been without her. I have shared the gospel in ways and with people I would have never had the opportunity if it were not for my infertility and my adoption losses. God has heard me- just as He heard Hannah. God has answered my prayer. More than once. These sweet babies, and their mamas, have been weaved in my story forever. I don’t always know why – or what is to come in their lives, but I know God needed me to enter their lives- even if just for a moment on the timeline of eternity. Hannah had faith to trust her child to someone else. To let go – even of the most precious of possessions. God has asked me to love children that I don’t get to raise. To trust Him that He has this. For His glory. One day, I know He will give me a child to hold, one that will stay in my house. It will be a story that could only have been written in Heaven above. Yet, it won’t just be bringing home the baby that will bring God the glory. It will be the glory He received through the moments of my deepest grief. He will get the glory through the way He has proven Himself faithful – and as I remain faithful to Him. He will get the ultimate glory. I promised Him. He is a good, good, Father – and to Him all glory belongs. Mandy Kelly grew up in what many would consider your “typical christian home”. She had a mom, a dad, and two siblings. Yet, what people didn’t always know was that she struggled with feelings of being unwanted. She didn’t know her biological father growing up, and although she had a Daddy who chose to love her unconditionally, she still struggled. However, at the age of thirteen, Mandy surrendered her life to the Lord Jesus Christ, accepting God as her Abba Father. From there, she's never looked back. She forgave the man who had never known how to love her- and moved forward. She had struggles along the way – and you can read more about those over at her blog testimony page– She truly feels like she has lived a life of grace. She's had real struggles. She knows what it is like to be single and waiting- She didn’t get married until almost 30 – and she watched everyone around her speed past her. Before she married, she was diagnosed with Infertility– and lived in silence for almost 5 years before sharing that struggle. She married a widow – and became a bonus mom to three kids. She has loved, and lost. She has been in ministry and been burned. Yet the one thing that got her through so many of her struggles was Worship. Not just the corporate worship on Sunday – but real, authentic worship. She learned that worship was more than the songs that you sang in church – but worship was a way of life. Find Mandy at her blog Worshipful Living Find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram SHE HEARD is the first for-purchase devotional published by Deliberate Women. Over the next eight weeks, we'll be reading reflections written by our readers of the eight Biblical women featured in SHE HEARD. Up today: RUTH “Ok! Well, let me talk with my wife and I’ll get back to you,” I heard him say in the other room. He was suddenly walking down the hallway, phone in hand, about to open the door into our side office where I was sorting through papers. “Yes, we’re really excited. Thank you!” He opened the door and I could see it in his face. It was finally happening. I don’t know if Ruth knew she was on the starting line of a new adventure either when she left Moab to go to an unknown land. I don’t know if she felt God’s tug or if she just knew her only option was to take the next step. The text isn’t explicit on what she knew nor how she felt, but her story reveals Christ not only in her dramatic move but also in her love life. Just as Ruth left the comfort of her homeland for the good of another, Christ left the glory of Heaven for his children. Just as Boaz came to Ruth’s rescue, so did Christ redeem His children. Ruth had no idea at the time, but she would later serve as a glimpse of what Christ would do for us. Similar to how she left the familiarity of Moab, He would leave His comfort for our sake and enter into our mess to bring life abundantly. Although Ruth’s adventure may have been a defining point in her life, it was a microcosm of what Christ did for us. He lived a perfect life and He died a gruesome death. But His death gave birth to life. He defeated death and rose from the grave. Ruth’s faithfulness eventually paved a way for that to happen. She gave birth to Obed who was the father of Jesse who was the father of David. It’s from David’s line that Christ eventually came. Ruth also exemplified Christ in her love life. Her marriage to Boaz points back to Christ’s redemption for us. Boaz acted as a kinsman redeemer, a male relative who would step in for a family member in need. In Boaz’s case, it meant a marriage to Ruth. Both she and her mother-in-law, Naomi, needed help. Gleaning in the fields as an unmarried, young woman left Ruth vulnerable. It kept Naomi in shame. They needed a rescuer and Boaz stepped up to the plate. We needed rescuing, too. In our sin, we are destitute and vulnerable. We cannot help ourselves; we fail any time we try. But with Christ, we are fulfilled. We are saved. We are freed from the bondage of sin. Boaz was Ruth’s kinsman reedemer; Christ is ours. For those who confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead, Christ has brought life. Only a few weeks after that phone call, our house had sold and I found myself stuffing a haphazardly taped box storing our set of ten plates and bowls into the front seat of my RAV4. Although it was only a move 40 miles north to allow my husband to finish seminary and take an exciting church residency, our hearts were being stripped bare. Signing an apartment lease, we said goodbye to almost 1,000 square feet and a spacious backyard. Taking new jobs in a new town, we said goodbye to over 80% of our income. Living an hour north, we said goodbye to regular dinners with friends. Nine months after our great adventure, however, I can confidently say that God is good. Nearly every morning, I can’t help but think on his provision for us over a cup of steaming loose-leaf mint tea. We left our comforts, but had the privilege of watching God work. Ruth did too and saw not only her life redeemed but also bring about the redemption for all those who believe. Mikaela Mathews is a freelance writer, self-taught graphic designer and a budding loose leaf tea enthusiast. She’s married to her super smart and super cute husband, Derek, and live in a little apartment with their two furry, four-legged children, Mishka and Lulu outside of Dallas, TX. Mikaela also runs a small Etsy business called The Tabitha Shop, where she gets to express her passion for design, the written word and equipping women in third world countries. SHE HEARD is the first for-purchase devotional published by Deliberate Women. Over the next eight weeks, we'll be reading reflections written by our readers of the eight Biblical women featured in SHE HEARD. Up today: THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THE WELL When I read the stories from Biblical times, I think about how God still works in the same ways in all of our lives today. When you think about it, the Bible is just a collection of testimonies of how God has worked in the most unlikely ways in people's lives. The Woman at the Well is just one of many of those testimonies that made it into the written form of the Bible. We all have stories of how God has changed our lives, met a need, answered a prayer, got us off-guard, or surprised us in unexpected ways in our current 21st Century. Our stories are no different than the Woman at the Well. I could call my story “The Woman at the Bench”. You see, just like the Woman at the Well, I was feeling rejected, isolated, embarrassed, humiliated, as I picked up my kindergartner from school. My husband at the time had betrayed me, and in a small town, word of a troubled marriage travels fast. Like the Woman at the Well, I had to face the crowds of happily married mothers as I headed out to pick up my son. I, too, would sometimes arrive late to miss the crowd, or I waited away from others to avoid the chatter. This particular day, I sat alone, waiting on a bench. As I sat, I heard a semi-familiar voice call my name. An old colleague, not a friend, or anyone I had ever spent time with or confided in, sat next to me. She said, “Sara, I’m not sure why, but God has put you on my heart and I want you to know that I am praying for you.” I began to cry instantly with this person that I hardly knew. You see, there are no coincidences in life. Just like it was no coincidence that Jesus had to travel through Samaria that day and needed to rest at Jacob’s well at the precise time the Samaritan Woman was gathering water. God placed Jesus there that day with the woman for a reason. God worked the same miracle for me in the year 2012 as I sat on that bench. The Woman at the Well probably had prayed for help in some human, earthly way, to get her out of the situation she was in. She needed provision, she needed protection, she needed acceptance and love….the same that I needed in 2012. Think about the Earthly answers we hope for in those types of prayers:
But, Jesus told her that day that God’s living water is the answer. People and things will not quench our thirst. Jesus told her, “All who drink of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him, shall never, no never, be thirsty anymore. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water, welling up within him unto eternal life.” (John 4:13-15) The answers to our problems, our rejection, our loneliness don’t lie in earthly answers. If we want to truly be quenched, we must surrender it all to God and accept His love for us in our hearts. Shortly after explaining the “living water” to the Samaritan woman, Jesus tested the woman. He asked her to “go call your husband and come back here.” She answered Him truthfully when she said that she had no husband. I was also tested after the day on the bench. My colleague dropped off a daily devotional for me to start reading and I felt like God was saying, “If you want My help, come and get it.” I had a responsibility to respond to God’s calling. I had to give Him my life and my heart truthfully. I began to drink that “living water” (some might call it the kool-aid) and over time, I felt my life changing. God revealed to me that His promises for my life were true, just as He revealed Himself to the Woman at the Well. He proved to her that Jesus was the Messiah by giving her an account of her life. God still reveals Himself to us today. He has proven His faithfulness to me in unbelievable ways. The woman had to be truthful with Jesus and He requires the same of us. I don’t think God is as concerned with my steps or missteps as He is with my intentions. I belive He knows when I am truly seeking Him and trying to hear His voice and walk in His ways for my life. He patiently guides me, steers me and waits on me if I get lost. This is a relief for me these days. God didn’t answer my prayers to save my marriage…in fact I got exactly the opposite, a divorce. As a 40-year-old, divorced mom of two, I have a lot of new paths to navigate. I have screwed up trying to do the right thing, but God has never left my side. Once the Woman at the Well accepted Jesus and began her testimony, I believe, He never left her either. God doesn’t want us to be afraid of life, He wants us to have faith that He has us covered. My trust in God and in His plan has been tested many times since that day on the bench. We are so used to immediate gratification in this day and age. How many wrinkle creams have we thrown away because we didn’t see results right away? How many diets or exercise programs have we given up on? We are a “quick results” oriented culture. God isn’t into the easy way around, but rather the journey through. And just like the disciples showed up to see Jesus talking to the Samaritan Woman (also not a coincidence), silently judging the situation, we will be judged on our journey as well. This Earth is full of people ready to remind us that we are not good enough or perfect enough, but the Woman at the Well reminds us that perfection is not required for God’s love. His love is not about who we are, but rather who HE is. Jesus later explains to the disciples when they try to offer Him food that they can’t even begin to understand the “nourishment” He has. He says, “I have food to eat of which you know nothing and have no idea.” (John 4:32) Jesus points out that not even the disciples could truly understand the provision, protection and love that come from God. Neither do we! How many times do we fail to trust? How many times do we sit back and judge a decision made by someone in the name of God? I have watched more than one friend do something completely illogical because they felt like God was calling them to it and they trusted in His plan. God’s love can make Christians do some things the world would consider crazy, but His ways are not our own. I’m sure the Woman at the Well got some crazy looks at first when she shared her testimony. An unlikely person to be sharing such an incredible encounter, but God doesn’t work within our limited perspectives. No one would believe 4 years ago I would be writing this reflection today, least of all me. But God has a way of working in the most unexpected ways through the most unexpected people…not just at a well in Samaria, but also on a bench at Lakeshore elementary. Finally, in John 4:39 it says, “Now numerous Samaritans from the town believed in and trusted in Him because of what the woman said when she declared and testified, 'He told me everything that I ever did.'” How very important our testimonies are today as they were back then. You never know how God might use you, your story, your testimony to bring someone closer to God. He used practically a stranger for me. He used a Samaritan Woman at the Well…How will He use you? Our greatest purpose is to be used by Him. Sara Gleason is a 5th grade language arts teacher in Conneaut, Ohio. She is a single mom of 2 amazing kids, Max (10) and Hope (8). She loves being outside- building fires in the backyard with her kids, grilling out, kayaking, taking a hike with her dog or hanging at the beach. She attends church regularly and teaches Sunday school, but shockingly, sometimes chooses to sleep in or hand off Sunday school to someone else when she is tired or burned out! She lives a not-so-perfect life in a not-so-perfect house with a perfect God in the center of all of it all! TODAY is the launch of our SHE HEARD Online Small Group!
We're so excited to begin studying the devotional we wrote about how to serve the Lord by being who you are, where you are! Want to join us for 9 weeks as we dig into scripture and meet 8 incredible Biblical women and 8 amazing women from current-day who have done some BIG things for the Lord simply by being who they were? Yes?? Then click HERE! Should you choose to forego the Facebook group, please come here each week to read a fresh perspective on each Biblical woman written by our readers! Were so so excited to get started! GOOD NEWS!! WE'RE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE OUR ONLINE SMALL GROUP FOR SHE HEARD!
Join us beginning May 2, 2016 for a 9-week Online study of 8 extraordinary women from the Bible and 8 amazing current-day women who served the Lord mightily by being who they were, where they were. In the study we discuss:
Do you think women from 2,000+ years ago have nothing in common with us today? In addition to bringing the women from scripture to life and seeing them as more than ink on a page, we also feature 8 current-day women who gave God what little they had and watched Him multiply their efforts as only He can. The current-Day women we'll meet are:
Each "chapter" is small and read-able in one sitting. Each woman also features "DIGGING DEEPER" questions to promote deeper thinking, self reflection, and conversation. This study is FREE, although you'll want to grab your copy of SHE HEARD to get the most out of the study. The printed and bound copy that's 8.5x11", full color is available HERE. The PDF version of SHE HEARD that you will have to print yourself is HERE. To register for the small group, click HERE. In addition, we're hosting a closed group on Facebook for additional conversation and some fun freebies! The link to join will pop up once you've registered above! Read: Luke 7:36-50Unless otherwise noted all scripture is taken from the NIV. “When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’ ‘Tell me, teacher,’ he said. ‘Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?’ Simon replied, ‘I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.’ ‘You have judged correctly,’ Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ The other guests began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’ Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’" This section of scripture is jam-packed! Let’s begin with the Pharisee who invited Jesus to his home. The Pharisees were the teachers of the Law. They were privy to the deeper Truths imparted by the Lord and shared through the prophets. They were often proud and enjoyed showcasing their false humility and holiness. In fact, most times in scripture when Jesus was angry or openly rebuking, it was the Pharisees at whom He aimed His rebuke. Jesus took exception to the Pharisees’ emphasis on strict adherence to the Law over a heart changed through a relationship with the Lord. The Pharisees followed a “checking the box” policy to ensure holiness while completely missing the point: God desires to know us and for us to know Him. God desires for us to understand His deep love for us…a love so deep that He sent His Son to die for us even while we were still sinners. God wants for us to submit our lives to Him in response to the Lord’s great grace and mercy and to build a deep and intimate relationship with Him. The Pharisee in this selection, Simon, invited Jesus to his home for dinner. While Jesus was reclining at the table, a woman who is described only as “a woman who had lived a sinful life” approached Jesus. She “stood behind him at his feet weeping…” At this point, any one of our names and faces could be inserted into the story. We don’t know this woman’s specific sin, although the original Greek text for “sinful life” describes someone devoted to sin. The emphasis shouldn’t be placed on her lifestyle so much as it should be on her tears. She wept at His feet because she recognized her sinfulness. In fact, she wept so much that her tears soaked Jesus’ feet and she used her hair to dry them. and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. (v 38) The perfume, or ointment as it’s referenced in the KJV, that she brought was in an alabaster jar. Alabaster was considered the very best way to house such ointment and opening it required breaking the seal. Once the seal was broken, the ointment or perfume would escape. Washing feet in this culture was considered a menial task performed by the very lowly. Because of the dusty region in which they lived, and because sandals offered limited protection from such things, feet were often caked with dirt, mud, and dung. It would require great humility to lower oneself literally and figuratively to wash someone’s dirty feet. This woman did so and even went so far as to kiss them. She displayed no reservation or pride. She used what she had on hand to accomplish this act of worship: The jar of perfume, her tears, and her hair. She came to the Lord broken and contrite, and offered all that she had. Simon was aggravated at the woman’s display of affection and privately peeved that Jesus wouldn’t rebuke her for touching Him. Jesus, as was His custom, already knew how Simon felt. He understood that Simon had judged the woman as merely a sinner, and nothing more. To Simon, she had no value. He judged her by her past and allowed no room for grace. Jesus responded in the form of a parable. “Jesus answered him, ‘Simon, I have something to tell you.’ The beginning of the next verse sucks the air out of the room. “Then he turned to the woman…” He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?” The Greek word for “see” in this sentence holds far more meaning than taking in information with the eye. Jesus, the full embodiment of God, holder of every spiritual gift, was asking Simon if he discerned the woman in front of him. Jesus was inquiring if Simon could feel what the woman was doing. Jesus looked beyond the outward appearance and the flesh to see her heart. Her tears and unimpeded emotional display reflected her heart. She acknowledged her sin and the depth of her need for forgiveness. She lavished these things on the One she knew could offer her that forgiveness. Jesus’ reply to Simon, pointing out all that the woman had done that Simon had not, was probably not so much a reprimand of Simon as it was illustrating what the woman offered. “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins have been forgiven.’ [and] “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’”Ladies, perhaps you recognize yourself in the woman because you have “many sins.” Perhaps you see yourself in Simon, who wouldn’t lower himself to wash Jesus’ feet nor would he accept others who did. Maybe you hold others at arms’ length because of their “many sins.” Whatever the case, may our eyes be opened to see more than what’s right in front of us. May we perceive true motives in ourselves and others. May we be so humbly broken that we have no shame in throwing ourselves at the feet of the Lord. May we be so in love with our Savior that nothing is too low or menial for us to do to show our love. Jesus revealed His discernment and grace by how He recognized this woman’s love in spite of her past. He offered her—freely and without expectation— forgiveness. He told her to go in peace, assured of her salvation received through her faith. Let’s often take time to throw ourselves at the Savior’s feet. Regardless of how we may look or what others may think of us, let’s wet the feet of Jesus with the tears of our repentance and lavish on Him the beautiful aroma of our praise. He is worthy. Written by Mandy. DIGGING DEEPERJesus, was truly a friend of sinners. Not because He enjoyed the sin of this world, but because He saw the heart. What a joyful time it must have been for Him each time someone had that "light bulb" moment and He got to discern the freshly changed being before Him! So often man looks at outward appearance, past mistakes, and the lack of immediate change in every area that we assume should now be sin-free. God gets to look at the heart and He asks us to move beyond our fleshly response and into a heavenly one that will allow us to do the same .
Read: Luke 10:38-42 Unless otherwise noted, all scripture is from the NIV. Martha and Mary, who we’ve studied previously, have experiences with Jesus so intertwined that it seems difficult to separate them. Maybe in some ways we’re doing them an injustice by studying their stories together. But, maybe we’re allowing God to reveal the big picture that was unfolding by focusing on the linked, yet very different experiences of these sisters. Mary and Martha, like most sisters, had very different personality types, and yet they also possessed some similarities. Martha was quite outspoken about things she thought she understood while Mary was bold in action as she quietly understood what Jesus was bringing about. One of the first encounters with the sibling duo is in Luke 10, verses 38-42 "As they went on their way, they came to a town where a woman named Martha lived. She cared for Jesus in her home. Martha had a sister named Mary. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to all He said. Martha was working hard getting the supper ready. She came to Jesus and said, “Do You see that my sister is not helping me? Tell her to help me.” Jesus said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her.” Their differences are so apparent here. Martha, the rule follower and the one who understood what was right and proper, was flabbergasted that Mary wasn't following any of the rules. She was bold and outspoken about the injustice of the lack of help her sister was providing and maybe even a bit of a tattle-tale about Mary's inappropriate behavior for this time and culture. It’s a possibility that Martha thought, with all the teaching that Jesus was doing, that He simply wasn't paying attention to Mary's lack of concern for her place. During this time, women of Israel were legalistically treated as property. Jewish men didn’t speak to Jewish women in public, nor did they teach women the important topics of religion. Just as many during Jesus’ time were being ensnared by the legalistic way in which the Pharisees and Sadducees had interpreted the Law, women were also being chained to restrictions and man-made traditions. The Law which was meant to preserve God's relationship with man, was corrupted by a sinful world. Though He had placed women in positions of leadership, prophecy, and ruling, the Israelites saw women as so much less than what they were: Less than capable, less than worthy, less than valuable, less than their male counterparts. They were allowed one courtyard closer to the Temple than were the Gentiles, who were considered dirty. Unlike many of their Gentile neighbors, Israelite women were not often allowed to inherit property. They were not allowed to be taught by the priests and they were not allowed to seek instruction from anyone other than the male head of their household. Their job was to serve, just as Martha was doing. Entering into the inner circle of men being taught by a Rabbi—that was unacceptable. Martha, being sure of what she knew, boldly asserted herself into those inner workings and demanded that the teacher take notice of her sister's wrong-doing. This is where the much more subtle nuances of similarity begin to make their appearance. As we look at Mary, who quietly sat at the feet of Jesus, soaking in every one of His words, we begin to see that she, too, was bold. We hear very few words from Mary through her interactions with Jesus, but her actions are loud and intentional. Mary looked upon Jesus. She heard His words and was quick to come to the revelation that Jesus was here for her. He was here for man-kind, but He was here for woman-kind as well. While most, if not all, of the people sitting at Jesus’ feet in Mary and Martha's home were male, Mary chose to boldly sit among them. She chose to be taught by Jesus, a man who was not her father or her husband. Jesus: A man who was making history and rebelling against the legalism this evil world had brought forth. When Martha boldly spoke about what she knew to be true, Jesus not only corrected her, but He purposefully made clear that Mary's choice was the right one and that the invitation to be discipled was open to all women. Luke 10:42, (emphasis mine) "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. Only a few things are important, even just one. Mary has chosen the good thing. It will not be taken away from her." In this moment Jesus revealed to Mary, Martha, and the many men that were most likely being taught, that this discipleship—this unheard of teaching of women—was a good thing and it would not be taken from them. Sitting at His feet, drawing close to Him—this was the sort of relationship He desired to make with all of mankind. Jesus chose to reveal this personal, drawing-close sort of relationship through women. He chose to not only allow Mary to sit at His feet, but to correct the thinking that was holding Martha and the rest of the Israelite world back from doing the same. Through the interactions of two sisters, Jesus made known a revelation that throws wide open the doors of opportunity for women of faith today. DIGGING DEEPERThe law had been misused. Jesus, the all-perfect Sacrifice and Fulfiller of the Law was well aware not only of what the true Law was (as He fullfilled it), but of how it was being misinterpreted. The Israelite people were a devout people. They ha-- and still have--customs and practices that were aimed at acheiving closeness to God. Their desires were to honor the Law the Lord had given them, but somewhere in the process of going from good intentions to actual practice, sin got in the way and the evil in this world ensnared the people of God in a tangled net of limitations that were not intended for them. They saw a list of rules to be followed with zero tolerance, instead of a God who directed them out of concern for their well-being. We, as Christians today, often look like the legalism of Jesus' time. We go at this relationship with God and others, with the best of intentions. Yet, so often we miss that Jesus was the kind of man who never seemed to think that the ends justified the means. He knew the end, and He knew that the hearts of men were damagaed and broken. He knew in order to get them to the end He was about to provide, that zero tolerance and legalism must be replaced with Godly wisdom, compassion, mercy, and love.
The Syrophoenician WomanRead: Mark 7:24-30 Unless otherwise noted, all scripture is NIV. Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. Her little girl lay demon-possessed at home. As soon as she heard Jesus was in town, she raced to Him and threw herself at His feet. She was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She was clearly not a Jew, yet she had the nerve to ask Jesus to heal her daughter. A mother, clearly at her wit’s end, desperate to have her daughter made whole, begged this man to heal her child. At first glance, Jesus’ response may seem out of character with what we’ve come to expect from this man who spent His life as a living example and, later, a sacrifice to show His love. But when we dig into the scripture and look at the original Greek text, we can see His intentions better of putting off this desperate mama. As she lay at His feet, begging, Jesus’ response was, ‘First let the children eat all they want,’ he told her, ‘for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.’ ‘Yes, Lord.’ she replied, ‘but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he told her, ‘For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.’ She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. (Mark 7:27-30) Jesus seems harsh, almost cold to this woman who’s pleading for her child’s life. This stands in stark contrast to the Jesus who cried when His friend Lazarus died, who spoke so tenderly to the Woman at the Well, and who said, “Let the little children come to me” (Matthew 19:14). Why is this so? When we dig a little deeper into the original language used, we can see so much about our beautiful Savior. One being that He had a sense of humor and didn’t shy away from using irony to make a point. Verse 27: One such tongue-in-cheek phrase: “…for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” The Quest Study Bible commentary offers this: “Using the word dogs, commonly used by Jews to describe Gentiles, may have been sarcasm—his [Jesus’] way to make a point that demean others is alien to the heart of God.” [1] Also in that same commentary: “Jesus was not forcing the Gentile woman to beg, but was perhaps probing the depth of her faith in the God of Israel. Or, he may have been teaching his disciples a lesson in the universal love of God. The woman’s persistence indicates she sensed something from Jesus that encouraged her to continue asking—perhaps a twinkle in his eye, or a warmth in his tone of voice.” In addressing the woman’s freedom to continue her plea, the Blue Letter Bible offers this for the original Greek text in verse 28 (“she replied”): apokrinomai, which means, “1. to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer and 2. to begin to speak, but always where something has preceded (either said or done) to which the remarks refer. It can be safely inferred, from the definition of the original Greek text, that Jesus was leading this woman to the conclusion that even “dogs” (Gentiles) were worthy of the Father’s healing. This is a BIG deal, because it points to salvation being not only for the Jews, but also for the Gentiles. In this one conversation, seemingly innocuous and cold, this Gentile woman inferred correctly that the Lord loves Gentiles, in addition to the Jews. How magnificent is that! We, as the readers, can see the beautiful allusion to us today and our future in the Father’s kingdom. Perhaps she couldn’t make such a fantastic mental leap at the time, because she was consumed with fear for her daughter, but she certainly had no doubt that the Lord was in her midst that day, when she arrived home to find her daughter healthy and healed. And how outstanding is it to see a side of our Savior, that we may have missed tucked away in 6 small verses of scripture? Our Jesus—the Son of the Most High, the Word, the Lamb of God—revealed God’s plan for Salvation—the very salvation that Jesus Himself would provide by His own death and resurrection—and He did it with a twinkle in His eye! Written by Mandy. S o u r c es[1] The Quest Study Bible, NIV, 1983, Zondervan D I G G I N G D E E P E RJesus never missed opportunities to present truth to those around him. As He continued to reveal the full scope of salvation to man, He made a point to reveal each of the intricate aspects of the Salvation gift. The Syrophoenician woman was probably accustomed to exclusion, and possibly even mistreatment, at the hands of the Jews. Yet, still she came. She came requesting a Salvation she could not yet begin to understand. She listened to Jesus and heard the tone of His reply and then she responded. She listened closely and was therefore able to grasp that Jesus was in agreement with her; that her asking was not out of line and instead was just what He came to earth for.
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