This past week, I looked at five women from the Old Testament to see what would stand out to me from each familiar story:
- Rebekah. A woman willing to serve Isaac’s servant, a stranger to her. Rebekah went the extra mile – not just to serve Isaac’s servant but to also draw water for his camels, which could not have been an easy feat. She didn’t wait until the servant asked for water for his camels, she offered and then made good on her word. “Yes, my lord, she answered, “have a drink. I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have enough to drink.” (Genesis 24:18-19, NLT)
- Moses’ mother. I am not sure if I truly thought about her in the story of Moses very much at all before. I think I always focused on Moses. In her I found a brave woman, willing to do what she needed to save her son. I found her to be sacrificial, putting aside her own pain in giving him up for his safety. She was a woman who entrusted her children to God, in the midst of the unknown. “But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River.”
(Exodus 2:3, NLT) - Hannah. A woman of prayer and of her word. In Hannah, I found a woman who kept her promise to God. She displays great trust in God as she leaves her son in the temple. Hannah caused me to question more deeply – Do I trust God with those I love deeply? Do I completely surrender them to Him? “I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.” (1 Samuel 1:27-28, NLT)
- Ruth. In Ruth, I found a woman who loved deeply, loved faithfully, and loved with determination. “but Ruth clung tightly to Naomi.” (Ruth 1:14, NLT) That word ‘clung’ means > to refuse to be budged under pressure, to never allow loss to cause us to leave. It made me realize how casually relationships can be approached – do we budge or walk away [even from friends] rather than determine to work things out? And do we follow hard after God – determined, clinging, faithfully, deeply?
- Esther. Even in royalty, Esther remained humble. She continued to be able to take correction and Mordecai’s words to heart. Esther did not let her position get in the way of remembering her identity. Recognizing the impending danger, she knew to take time to prepare for spiritual battle. She did not rely on her power as “queen”. “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days,night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die” (Esther 4:16, NLT)
Five women. All different. Each life still teaching us how to live so that our own lives conform with the purposes of His will. May we have hearts willing to be molded and follow after Him.
Today I am joining … #Small Wonder and Sharing His Beauty and Inspire Me Monday .
Thanks for sharing this – I so enjoy the Old Testament and the women in particular who so often fall between the cracks of the story. These women display ingenuity in the face of struggle and help me remember that faithful living is often unconventional.
You are so right, Kelly. None of our struggles will ever look the same. Yet we all are able to glean from one another. May we be faithful IN the struggle. Grateful for you!
Great post! I so enjoyed the brief summaries of these amazing 5 women. Many blessings to you â¤ï¸
Thank you, Beth. There was so much learned that the challenge to keep it brief was great 🙂
Oh, I just love these girls. Hey, John MacArthur, Alice Mathews, and Ruth Tucker have all put out really good books with a chapter on several of the biblical women — Ruth Tucker’s is pretty exhaustive.
Thank you for the reading recommendation, Michele!
I’ve never thought much about Moses’ mother before, either–but oh, I so need to remember her example of letting my children go and entrusting God to care for them in the best way!
Anita, it was good for me to go back & look at various women. As we ourselves go through new stages in life, I think we will glean new truths to apply to our lives. Blessings!
Nice post – I learned a lot, and you gave me the incentive to do some reading on my own, on the subject.
Thank you, Andrew. These women faced complex circumstances which can teach us all how to persevere. Blessings to you today!