In Numbers 27:1-11, we find the daughters of Zelophehad. Are you wondering who they were?

They were courageous sisters which says a lot about the parenting they received.

What they were asking was nothing small. They came to Moses  basically asking for laws to be reformed so they could receive the inheritance that would have been theirs IF they were sons.

In making their request, they were thinking of their own situation. True, but that brave request impacted generations of women to come.

Moses , recognizing the importance of their request, knew he could not make a decision on his own. He took the case before God in order to make a just decision.

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
(Eleanor Roosevelt)

Do you find yourself in a sticky situation today? Does your fate seem to be held in someone else’s hands? Are you facing unfair treatment?

It is in these times, we must gather people around us to pray, to plead our cause in prayer.

Today’s reading has caused me to think about several things:

• We can stir up courage in one another.
• Our decisions today can impact others for generations to come.
• We need to have people we can depend on for prayer.

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Midweek we visited Lydia in Acts 16:11-15; and 25-40.

Paul was looking for a place of prayer and sat down with the women who had assembled. In this group of women was Lydia and Scripture tells us:

• she was a seller of fabrics
• she was a worshiper of God
• she was listening
• and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

Paul and those with him, stayed in her home for a bit. We don’t know if it was for one night or several. We only know she insisted and so they took her up on her hospitality.

Then we find after their prison experience, they returned to her home. They remembered the hospitality. They remembered the group who gathered in her home and returned there to encourage them.

A single act of hospitality was remembered.

The devotional asks: Have you embraced the full, true gospel? How has that affected your family? Your community? Your work?

As I read the Scriptures and the devotional, the words to an old hymn returned to mind:

“Have Thine own way Lord
Have Thine own way
Thou art the potter I am the clay
Mold me and make me after Thy will
While I am waiting  yielded and still.” 

Of the four things we are told about Lydia in verse 14, I think perhaps the most important was that “she was listening”.

Two sentences in the closing prayer that stood out: “Can You use me even here?” and “Open my ears and eyes and heart to everything You would have for me, Lord.”

And I think it may all just begin with listening.

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We closed the week with looking at the story of Deborah as found in Judges 4:1-16.

The time in which Deborah was a judge and prophetess has been described as being filled with unrest and turmoil, and everyone did whatever was right in their own eyes.

Hmmm, sound familiar?

Reading those words brought me a strange comfort that these days we are living in are not new. They have been experienced before.

God used Deborah to speak His truth and infuse courage into those around her. Barak listened and knew she was right in her guidance but needed the assurance she would go with him into battle.

He had the strength of his army but need Deborah’s courage and confidence in God to join ranks with his military strength.

The devotional worded it this way:

“Be prepared to walk beside your brothers and sisters being called by God.”
(from Women of Courage, page 68)

Sometimes just knowing we are present and with someone may give them the courage to move ahead in their calling.

The devotional asks: Have you been given a message from God? Have you ever felt compelled to share something with someone? Was it hard for you to step out of your comfort zone?

May we join in with the prayer from today’s reading:

“Give me courage, God. Give me wisdom. Give me everything I need to be Your ambassador here on earth. Thank You, Lord. Amen.”

(from Women of Courage, page 69)

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Do the hard thing,
Start with listening to others,
and be His ambassador.

Photo 1: by Edu Lauton on Unsplash
Image by Ana Krach from Pixabay
Photo 3: by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash

Today I am joining … Tell His Story and InstaEncouragements .