When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say.
1 Samuel 25:23-24 NLT
Observations:
What we know about Abigail:
Abigail was married to Nabal, an wealthy and evil man (2-3)
She was both wise and beautiful (3)
She was respected and trusted by their servants do what was right and wise (14-17)
Time and again she acted quickly and with wisdom (18-20, 23, 36-37 and 42)
When she spoke with David, she spoke with the LORD God as her perspective (26-31)
She knew right from wrong and sought forgiveness for her husband’s actions and encouraged David to do what was right in the sight of the LORD (28-31)
How Then Should We Live?
We would be wise to follow Abigail’s example and keep God as our perspective in all things. By her conversation with David it appears to be that having a godly perspective helped Abigail not panic when danger was near, she sought forgiveness when necessary, and spoke with wisdom and respect. Act quickly but not rash.
Prayer Response:
Father, the story of Abigail is beautifully inspired though she was the wife a a wicked man she kept You in mind. You gave her wisdom and strength where it would have been easy to run and hide or to berate her husband. You showed her your favor and used her humility and courage in a mighty way. May I live surrendered. – In the power of Your Spririt –
Your Turn:
What’s your take away from Abigail’s story?
Reflection Questions:
What stood out to you the most Abigail’s response to David?
How do you think her hospitality and courage influenced David’s response to her and her family?
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Luke 1:38 NLT
My Observations:
Who was Mary?
Mary was a virgin from Nazareth, a town also known as Galilee. She was engaged to a man by the name of Joseph who was a descendant of David. She was favored by God, chosen to bear the Messiah, God’s only Son. She was guaranteed a healthy, safe delivery, and a “Holy” child – which eased her fears.
The Angel’s Visit:
An angel, named Gabriel, who was sent by God, came to Mary, greeting her as one who was favored and one whom the LORD was with. He encouraged her to not be afraid and asked her to listen to the message he had brought. As if being greeted by an angel wasn’t shocking enough, try learning from the angel that you’re going to have a baby boy – talk about a unique gender reveal! The angel gave her all of the details, even what to name the baby, whose the baby really was, how great the baby would be, and how His future would turn out.
“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” … 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.”
Luke 1:31-33, 35 NLT
Oddly enough Gabriel even told her about Elizabeth, her cousin, being six months pregnant with a son. Perhaps this is what sparked Mary’s visit to Elizabeth that we read about last week.
Mary’s Response:
We could jump right to verse 38 and see Mary’s ultimate and “beautifully surrendered” response. However, in doing so we would miss some crucial and equally beautiful responses from the minute the angel appeared.
Mary didn’t run from the angel but she received him and entertained his greeting and announcement, which is obvious from Luke’s description that reads: “Mary was greatly troubled by [Gabriel’s] words” and [she] began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting”. When the angel asked her to listen, she obviously did so – because when he was done speaking, she asked Gabriel a question. Mary said to the angel:
“How will this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?”
Luke 1:34 NLT
Following Gabriel’s enlightening reply, Mary gives her final response – which is one of beautiful surrender, acknowledging both her awareness of what is happening and her surrender to the LORD who is bringing it about. It’s worth reading again:
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”
Luke 1:38
How Then Should We Live?
While we will never receive the message that Mary received from Gabriel, we should always be prepared and willing to hear from God and, like Mary, we should consider what He says. We should not be afraid – remembering that if He’s asking us to do something then He has already prepared us for it. We should live positioned and ready to be used by God. After listening to what He asks of us we should, respectfully, ask any questions we might have and surrender in faithful obedience.
Prayer Response:
Father, How great and wonderful are Your ways. How amazing and powerful are Your acts. I marvel at Your work to position Mary and to use her in such an unexpected and marvelous way. I stand in awe of her beautiful surrender and pray that I, and those who have read or heard this lesson, might always be prepared and never turn away from what You call us to do. – In His name and strength and for Your glory – Amen!
Your Turn:
So, what’s your take-away from today’s passage?
Refection Questions:
What does Mary’s response teach us about her?
How would you have responded if you had been in her shoes?
4 But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” John 4:14-15
My Observations:
Crucial to this encounter with the Samaritan woman is the word “whoever”. It is equally important to understand the importance of who Jesus was speaking to –
She was a woman and a Samaritan. He had five husbands and was living with one who was not her husband; because of her lifestyle she was a known outcast and considered ‘unclean’. Jesus’ ongoing answers and conversation seem to soften her attitude and many others are brought to meet Him.
your turn:
What’s your take away from the story of the Samaritan woman?
How then Shall We Live?
Jesus clearly asked water from this woman to engage her in conversation and offer her the living water he has to offer. From my understanding He did so at great risk to His reputation – considering, not only that she was a woman but her lifestyle and the fact that she was a Samaritan. In what He did He set the example of how we are to live as His witnesses.
Don’t be afraid to reach the “outcast” with the love of Jesus
Make “whoever” a part of our conversation with the ‘thirsty’
Give the word out like cups of cold water to those who are thirsty (in need of ‘eternal life’)
Tell others what we know about Jesus and where they can find Him
My Prayer Response:
Father, thank You for the examples of Jesus. Help us to live and love like Him. When we open our mouths fill us with the words that will help those who are “thirsty” receive the gift of eternal life. Help us to ‘see’ those who are seeking more and to engage with them regardless of how they respond, regardless of their status in life, and regardless of what others think.
Then God took note of Rachel. He paid attention to her and enabled her to become pregnant. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “God has taken away my shame.” 24 She named him Joseph, saying, “May the Lord give me yet another son.” Genesis 30:22-24
MY OBSERVATIONS:
What a saga! One sister (Rachel) loved by Jacob and the other (Leah) given to him in marriage by trickery.
The BibleReference.com commentary explains that the phrase “God took note of Rachel …” means that He looked with favorable consideration on her but not before…
He looked with compassion on Leah who was unloved and enabled her to become pregnant (verse 31).
the birth of 9 more sons, some given to Leah while others were given to Leah’s and Rachel’s servant girls.
“THEN… ” This one little word in Scripture is so often followed by some great news or event that it always catches my attention … and in this case – as with the story of Hannah – what follows “then” resonates with my heart. Years have passed, Rachel – though settling for children through her servant girl – has waited miserably and now finds herself, finally, pregnant because God has looked on her with “favorable consideration”. You see, it wasn’t that God had truly forgotten or not seen Rachel in all of this time – but rather that God is strategic and purposeful in all He does. As we saw with Hannah, and as I learned in my own life – God is the one who enables or withholds children being born. This is paramount in the story of Rachel and Leah and Mary and Elizabeth and every other woman in the Bible. Until we understand the truth of it we will forever struggle when we cannot see God’s hand in our lives. Trusting His heart is the essence of walking by faith and not by sight.
After the Then
Rachel gave birth to a son and she named him Joseph, which was to say – “May the LORD give me yet another son.” A greedy statement? I don’t think so, but rather believe it was Rachel’s acknowledgement of what she knew was God’s doing and her genuine desire for God’s favor to continue.
How Then Do We Live
I think an important take-away from this passage is to REMEMBER.
Remember – even when it seems God is ignoring us – He isn’t. What He is doing is working all things together for the good of His children.
It’s also important to pray big, Remembering and believing that there’s nothing God cannot do, literally! With God ALL things are possible.
Remember, God’s timing and power are good and purposeful.
Prayer Response
Father, I have waited before for a child. I have, like Rachel. longed for my womb to be open, and felt ignored when You said – no, month after month and year after year. I praise You that I can look back now and know You weren’t ignoring me, You were waiting for the right time. THEN … You answered. May we never lose sight of Your Timing Father, whether it’s a child or a job, a marriage, or healing, whatever it is we are longing for – pleading for – Father, help us to trust Your heart even though we can’t see Your hand.
I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. 28 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
My Observations:
Heart Resounding Similarities
Hannah’s story is near and dear to my heart, not just because of it’s beautiful example of prayer between a woman and her God but because I waited eight years for God to give me a child. In that eight years I experienced much of the heartache and distress that is described of Hannah. I battled bitterness of other’s pregnancies and anger with God for what He withheld. He won the battle though and in due time spoke words of encouragement and wisdom through my parents to not only trust in the Lord and His will and timing for my life but to learn to be content whether pregnant or not pregnant. The words were hurtful at first – I didn’t want to be content, I wanted to be pregnant. However, when I got home from that conversation those were the very words that drove me to my knees and moved me to “pour out my soul before the LORD” and cry out to Him from the depth of my pain and anguish. – Then the LORD called me to mind, and I became pregnant.
Hannah’s Prayer (1 Samuel 1:10-16
The source of Hannah’s prayer was from her soul not strong drink
The heart of Hannah’s prayer was her pain and anguish – driven by her desire for a child
Lost in the strengths of her faith, unaware that she was observed, and certainly not drunk on wine – Hannah prayed
She prayed boldly and specifically
Poured out her suffering to the LORD
Keep me in mind”
Don’t “neglect Your servant”
“Give your servant a male child”
She made a vow
“Then I will declare Him to the LORD all the days of His life
“His hair will never be cut”
As for Hannah, she was speaking in her mind. Only her lips were moving; her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was a drunkard.
1 Samuel 1:13 NET
Prayer’s Effect
Don’t miss the effect Hannah’s prayer had on her. From being very distressed – talking to God and encouragement from Eli, the priest, she went away changed, not only inwardly but outwardly.
So the woman went her way and got something to eat. Her face no longer looked sad.
1 Samuel 1:18 NET
Then …
I love when the Bible says “Then …” because it always means God is about to reveal something. In this case it was all that transpired after Hannah’s prayer and conversation with Eli.
They worshiped the LORD and returned home
Elkanah was intimate with Hannah
“The LORD called her to mind”
Hannah became pregnant
She gave birth to a son
When he was weened she took him up to the LORD’S house
She shared with Eli God’s answer, her praise, and the response of her vow
For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. 28 So I also dedicate him to the Lord. For all the days of his life he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then [Samuel] bowed down there in worship to the Lord.
1 Samuel 1:27-28 NET
Then …
Hannah’s prayers affected not only herself and her husband but don’t miss how even, at a very young age, they were already affecting Samuel – “THEN he,” [Samuel}, bowed down in worship to the LORD.” To see how her prayer affected many more through Samuel visit this link on the “Life of Samuel” from ‘GotQuestions.org’ – https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Samuel.html
How Then Do We Live?
If we learn anything from Hannah, let us learn that we can be real with God. She poured out her soul before Him, She didn’t try to hide her suffering, or deal with her pain and anguish on her own. She trusted God with her desire, not only in prayer but in life – giving back to God the very thing she asked for – that it [Samuel] might be used for His glory and not just her pleasure or fulfillment.
We can also learn to respond to God’s answers with praise – not kept to ourselves but revealed to others so that God’s goodness, His kindness, mercy, love, grace, power …. are displayed.
What’s your take away?
Prayer Response
Father, thank You for Hannah’s prayer and the way You have used it in my own life. Thank You for the glimpses of Your hand in the tapestry of Your people – woven together in Your Word for us to glean from. Help us to not become embittered with the disappointments or desires of our lives but to give them to You, boldly and specifically, from the heart and to trust You with the answers. And Father help us always to give You the praise and honor due Your name that others may hear and see and know of Your goodness to “keep us in mind” and the powerful and lasting effects of Your answers.
And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”
Mark 5:34 NLT
My Observations:
The verse we are focusing on today starts with, “He said to her …” but you have to read the passage to see the fuller picture of why He said it. Her face to face encounter with Jesus happened because “she heard about Jesus”. What she heard she must have believed because she acted on her faith and by Jesus’ own words – “her faith made her well”.
Don’t miss that her faith had a focus point. While I’m sure as I can be that she had not forgotten her disease and how sick she was – the picture painted with the words of Mark show us that her focus was on Jesus and His power to heal – “If only I touch His clothes, I will be healed”. Because of her internal FAITH she reached out and touched his clothes, perhaps just the hem of His garment, but this was enough to cause healing power to flow from Jesus to her. They both felt it and were brought face to face as Jesus looked for the one who had reached out to Him. Bowed before Him in fear and trembling she unfolds her story to Him and He pronounces her healed and sends her on in peace. Her life forever changed.
THE BIG PICTURE
There are certain people in my life that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt would do anything in the world to help me if I was stranded somewhere or had a need of any kind. However, despite the deepest trust I have in them, they will not help me if I don’t make the need known to them. This is why I believe it’s important to note that the woman in today’s story acted on her faith. She didn’t simply hear about Jesus and believe shut her eyes and wish He would heal her disease. She believed enough to press in close and reach out and touch His garment. She had internal faith that became an external action and it changed her life.
Internal faith is powerful and when it’s acted on it’s life changing – especially if the focus of the faith is Jesus!
Me-from the Inside-out 2022
How Then Should We Live?
Believe, live, and act like this woman. We should live by faith not by sight, making sure our focus is on Jesus, not the problem. Reach out to Jesus, press into Him, with fear and trembling bow before Him. Tell Him the whole story and wait for His response – it may be healing or provision, or perhaps it will be comfort or renewed strength. It may look like what we imagined or something a bit different than we hoped for but His answer will always be the best answer and the right answer. We must remember, as with this woman, it is our faith that moves the heart of Jesus. Paul said that God, through the power that is working in us, can do immeasurably more than we ask or even imagine, and both Matthew and Mark wrote in their Gospels how all things are possible with God. Perhaps the first place we should start is by asking ourselves – do I believe these truths – So much so, that even touching the hem of His garment would make a difference?
20 Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think,
Ephesians 3:20
My Prayer Response:
Father, every day I pray – thanking You, petitioning You, crying out to You on behalf of others as well as myself. I confess it is easy to pray, because I love talking to/with You, but I am reminded by this passage that I sometimes pray absentmindedly. Or, I pray small prayers when You are a very big God. Help me to pray big prayers, to be alert when I pray, to pray with my focus, not on my need or problems, but on You, Your Son, and Your Spirit – through whom all blessings flow. Help me to not only live a life of faith but to pray in faith believing that You can do abundantly more than I ask or even imagine. In Jesus’ Name – Amen!
But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
Ruth 1:1-18 NLT
My Observations:
But Ruth
There were cultural norms of the day that would have led Orpah and Ruth to stay with their mother-in-law, Naomi, even after their husbands had died and even though Naomi was leaving for her homeland. However, Naomi not only offered them an out, she encouraged them to return to their people and prayed that they would both be blessed with new husbands. While it took some convincing, Orpah finally conceded, kissed Naomi goodbye, and “returned to her people and her god”, BUT RUTH had made up her mind. She chose to devote herself not only to Naomi but to Naomi’s people and Naomi’s God.
If you read the rest of the story you will see that Ruth’s decision changed everything. You will see the fingerprints of God, a beautiful unfolding love story, a glimpse of things to come, and how Ruth became a part of God’s unfolding story.
How Then Should We LivE?
God has given us a clear-cut answer and demonstration of choosing His people and Him above comfort and familiarity. We should live as Ruth, who chose to go the way of Naomi and her God.
My Prayer Response:
Father, thank you for the example of Ruth who chose Your people and You rather than the familiar and comfortable. Help me to always choose You above anything and everyone – and may my example lead others to do the same. – In Jesus’ Name – Amen!
It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
Hebrews 11:31 NLT
My Observation:
Like us, Rahab was saved by faith and escaped the destruction of the disobedient. Welcoming and hiding the spies, as we read in the Joshua account were demonstrations of her faith. Faith that she expressed in many ways but perhaps none more clearly than the acknowledgement of God being the “supreme God”, and of course the scarlet cord that she hung out her window in faith believing that she and her household would be spared.
No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.
Joshua 2:11
“I accept your terms,” she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.
Joshua 2:21
Rahab’s position in life, as a prostitute, did not overshadow her faith or make her faith worthless. Regardless of who she was or what she had been, God honored and accepted her by her faith in Him, which is evident in the fact that her name is among those listed in the Scripture’s ‘Hall of Faith’ found in Hebrews 11.
In case you’re wondering how a prostitute ends up in the ‘Hall of Faith’ with Abraham and all the others, let’s take another look at the fuller picture of her faith from what we’ve read today.
She knew who the men were and whose they were when she welcomed them in.
She welcomed them in in spite of the fact that she spoke to them of how their hearts melted in fear of them.
She defied the local authority and risked their retaliation because she had heard and believed in their God – who He was and what He could do and had done.
She placed her faith, not in what she had seen nor her fear in what could happen to her — but in the GOD of these men.
She did so not only at her own risk but to her family’s
How Then Should We Live:
We are to walk/live by faith and not by sight or knowledge of what we’ve done or said or where we’ve been.
We should tell god’s stories — knowing they saved the life of Rahab and her family.
Go where God sends us, for others may be saved by our obedience and courage.
Fear God more than man.
My Prayer Response:
Father – prostitutes, adulterers, drunkards, liars, thieves, and the ‘worst of the worst’ that we can imagine are all welcome at your table when, by faith, they believe in Your Son. Thank You for Your unconditional love through the blood and person of Jesus Christ – for by Him I am saved!
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
We really need to look at the full picture to understand and appreciate what took place and what it means for us as Gentile believers.
The Woman
Though she was a Canaanite, the woman recognized Jesus for who He was, one who could have mercy on her, the Lord, the Son of David. (22)
She had a demon-possessed daughter.(22)
Even though Jesus did not answer her at first, even though the disciples begged Him to “send her away”, and even though Jesus finally told her “He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”(23-24) – She came and bowed down before Him, acknowledged Him again as Lord and again asked for help (25)
In rebuttal to Jesus’ response, one that could have been taken as offensively rude, she doesn’t rile at Him in anger but acknowledges His position as “master”. (27)
The Disciples:
Granted, among the crowds of people following Jesus, vying for His attention, pressing in for healing or some other miracle – being a disciple couldn’t have been easy. In this particular situation the woman had obviously gotten on their last nerve as they begged for Jesus to send her away. (23)
Jesus:
Jesus went from not responding to the women’s request, to a statement about why He was there, then to making the shocking statement that was less than flattering, and finally to commending her and acting on the woman’s “great faith”.
Note: Some have made the argument that Jesus was rude in not responding and others would argue that His comment about the ‘dogs’ was uncalled for – but the greater argument can and should be made that He was looking to see if the woman was a sincere believer or not since she was a Canaanite. A helpful commentary on this matter can be found at this Bible Reference link – https://www.bibleref.com/Matthew/15/Matthew-15-26.html
What we must remember when Scripture raises questions like this - is who we know Jesus to be. He God in human form, there was no sin in Him - so He would never be rude or disrespectful to anyone and His reasons for everything He says and does will always be perfect and for the Father's glory. To believe less than this is to question the very foundation of our belief in God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. - Me, from-the-insideout
How Then Should We Live?
It’s easy to approach God and ask for needs or health or even desires … but it’s the believing and persisting that is often missing. However, we are encouraged to be devoted to prayer, to pray without ceasing, to approach the throne of God boldly and with confidence, to keep on asking – to keep on seeking – and to keep on knocking … so even though she may have seemed annoying to the disciples – we must not take this to mean we should do any less. However, what struck me more than her persistence was the fact that her focus wasn’t on her daughter at the moment but squarely on Jesus, who He was, and what He could do. For this reason, I believe, a profitable take-away or application would be to pray believing, persist in praying, and focus on the Master rather than the request. I learned a long time ago – with many reminders since – that when we focus on our request we lose sight of Jesus and, like Peter on the water, our faith begins to sink beneath the waves of our desire.
My Prayer Response:
Father, in our praying help us stay focused on You and not on our requests/needs or desires. Help us to pray believing and persistently – knowing You are able. May we not waiver in our faith for in this You are glorified and we are blessed.
You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Luke 1:45
My Observations:
The Back Story
To truly appreciate and rightly observe this one verse I believe it is best to read the entire passage. When we do this we read how Zechariah and Elizabeth were without children at a very old age. They had prayed for a child but none had been born to them because, as the Scripture says: “Elizabeth was barren”. That is, until their prayer had been heard and she became pregnant in her old age. While Zechariah doubted the incredible announcement, Elizabeth immediately believed and praised God for what He had done.
Elizabeth Understood
Perhaps because Elizabeth had herself received and believed the announcement of her own miracle baby she understood all the more how special Mary’s situation was and just how difficult it would have been for her to believe.
How Then Should We Live?
We should live believing that absolutely “nothing is impossible with God”. When we hear or see Him in action we would be wise to believe and not doubt. We would be equally wise to follow Elizabeth’s example and encourage others when we see the Lord working in their lives or when we see them expressing their faith in God!
My Prayer Response:
Father, help me to keep my eyes open to the faith of others and to be a voice of encouragement to those whose faith is evident both in times of plenty and times when the promised, the desired, or the needed seems impossible. Help me to be quick not only to believe but to encourage others with the evident truth that NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU! In Jesus’ Name let me be an encourager. – AMEN!
Me From the Inside Out 