The week began with reading Exodus 1:8-22 and meeting Shiphrah and Puah.

I must be honest, while I knew the story of the midwives, I did not remember their names. Yet God recorded them in His Word to be known and remembered for all time.

Two midwives, who did not follow the orders of Pharaoh to kill the Hebrew boys at birth. Today this might be  called, civil disobedience. They  chose to disobey an evil law, one that went against God’s Word.

Do you know of these two? Are you weary because you are facing something alone?

These two women found strength to disobey and save lives. They found support in one another. This enabled them to fulfill the higher purposes of God.

~*~*~

In Luke 18:1-8 we find the persistent widow.

We all know the story – she kept coming to present her case to a judge, who by his own admission, “did not fear God and did not respect man” (verse 2, NASB). Jesus calls the judge, “unrighteous” (verse 6).

One would hardly have expected compassion or justice from such a judge as this.

Yet this widow came, day after day, with the very same request.

I read these eight verses over and over. The point of the story was not about the widow’s request or what she needed. The point of the story is for us all to learn this critical aspect about prayer:

“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray AND not to lose heart” (verse 1).

Jesus knew prayer would mean both praying constantly and not losing heart.

We want things, including prayer, to be one and done. Quickly. Instantly. We have become people that are impatient.

Impatience causes us to lose heart – to grow weary.

Verse one had my complete attention this morning. Impatience and weariness are surely two of the ways the enemy will target us. The combination of the two is deadly as they cause us to give up and give into despair, which then causes us to lose hope.

Do you struggle to pray without ceasing? Are you discouraged from praying without seeing answers? What is keeping you from bringing your requests to the Lord, day and night?

Let’s become people who both pray at all times and do not lose heart.

~*~*~

We closed the week with reading Joshua 2:8-14 and Hebrews 11:31. We’re looking at Rahab – the prostitute.

This woman with the colorful past and array of men. This woman who when she heard about God came to fear and honor Him, so much so, that she wanted to protect His men.

This story reminds us that even with our imperfections, God can still use us. He doesn’t look for perfection in us but hearts that are repentant towards Him and seek Him.

Rahab, once a woman of the night, became a woman of the Light known for her faith. And that is each of us as well.

Do you wear labels of your past sins? Do you struggle with identifying yourself as a new creation in Christ?

I know, as in KNOW, what my past sins are. And yes, I struggle at times with identifying myself as being a valued and loved member of Jesus’ family. But I try to quickly remind myself that I have been redeemed and He has made me “white as snow”.

~*~*~

We need support when challenged,
to pray and not lose heart, and
reminders of Whose we are.

Image by Daniel Reche from Pixabay
Today I am joining … Tell His Story and InstaEncouragements .