Charlene Clevenger
7th November 2005, 08:49 AM (08:49)
I receive the daily devotional from Heartlight.com through email. I thought you ladies might enjoy this one.
The Power of One Woman, by Phil Ware
"Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. I will go wherever you go
and live wherever you live. Your people will be my people, and your
God will be my God. I will die where you die and will be buried
there. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but
death to separate us!" (Ruth 1:16-17 NLT)
This past week, we were reminded once again of the powerful influence
of the actions of one woman. Rosa Parks, a seamstress tired from a hard
day's work and years of mistreatment, refused to give up her seat on
the bus simply because of the color of her skin. She was arrested and
fingerprinted because what she did was a violation of city law in 1955
in Montgomery, Alabama. Her actions galvanized the early civil rights
movement into action and led to a Supreme Court ruling that segregation
in transportation was unconstitutional. Rosa Parks demonstrated what we
should have learned from both secular and sacred history: never
underestimate the power of one woman to change her world.
For Christians, this truth should be well remembered and often taught.
The story of the Bible reminds us again and again of the power that one
woman of faith has had throughout history. Rooted in the earliest
history of God's people is the story of Moses' mother who protected and
raised her son in the ways of God in a time of infanticide and danger.
We know of Deborah's wisdom, leadership, and courage during a time of
corruption, deceit, and weakness among God's people. We know the moving
story of Hannah begging God for a child and then giving him back to God
to be used and to be useful to Eli. Samuel goes on to be the crucial
bridge between the corrupt time of the judges in Israel and the first
two Kings, Saul and David. We hear of Ruth's faithfulness to her
mother-in-law, Naomi, and how God honored her faithfulness by having
the both King David and the Messiah's lineage go through her line of
descendants. Then with a little research, we can learn the story of
Jehosheba and her act of defiance to hide the last living true heir in
the line of David, partnering with God to keep His promises alive.
In Jesus' life and ministry, the power of one woman is demonstrated
again and again through a number of different women. His mother, Mary,
is a powerful example as she is told the unbelievable and yet offers
herself to be fully used by the Lord. Martha and Mary, the sisters of
Lazarus, play a crucial role in the life and ministry of Jesus as does
Mary Magdalene. We also read about the powerful influence of Dorcas,
Phoebe, and Priscilla in the early Christian movement.
Of course we could list many other women who play important parts in
the story of the Bible. These have been chosen to remind us of the
power that one godly woman has to influence many others about things
that matter to God. If you are a woman, never underestimate what God
can do through you if you will let him. If you are a church leader,
Bible class teacher, or youth worker, please, remind our young ladies
of the vital role women have played in our story of faith.
Let's never forget the power of one woman to change her world!
---------
(c) 2005 Phil Ware <phil@heartlight.org>. All rights reserved.
RELATED LINKS:
* Rosa Parks: The Woman Who Changed a Nation
http://www.grandtimes.com/rosa.html
* Rosa Parks
http://www.grandtimes.com/rosa.html
* Southern Hills Church of Christ
http://www.southernhillschurch.org
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200511/20051107_onewoman.html
The Power of One Woman, by Phil Ware
"Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. I will go wherever you go
and live wherever you live. Your people will be my people, and your
God will be my God. I will die where you die and will be buried
there. May the LORD punish me severely if I allow anything but
death to separate us!" (Ruth 1:16-17 NLT)
This past week, we were reminded once again of the powerful influence
of the actions of one woman. Rosa Parks, a seamstress tired from a hard
day's work and years of mistreatment, refused to give up her seat on
the bus simply because of the color of her skin. She was arrested and
fingerprinted because what she did was a violation of city law in 1955
in Montgomery, Alabama. Her actions galvanized the early civil rights
movement into action and led to a Supreme Court ruling that segregation
in transportation was unconstitutional. Rosa Parks demonstrated what we
should have learned from both secular and sacred history: never
underestimate the power of one woman to change her world.
For Christians, this truth should be well remembered and often taught.
The story of the Bible reminds us again and again of the power that one
woman of faith has had throughout history. Rooted in the earliest
history of God's people is the story of Moses' mother who protected and
raised her son in the ways of God in a time of infanticide and danger.
We know of Deborah's wisdom, leadership, and courage during a time of
corruption, deceit, and weakness among God's people. We know the moving
story of Hannah begging God for a child and then giving him back to God
to be used and to be useful to Eli. Samuel goes on to be the crucial
bridge between the corrupt time of the judges in Israel and the first
two Kings, Saul and David. We hear of Ruth's faithfulness to her
mother-in-law, Naomi, and how God honored her faithfulness by having
the both King David and the Messiah's lineage go through her line of
descendants. Then with a little research, we can learn the story of
Jehosheba and her act of defiance to hide the last living true heir in
the line of David, partnering with God to keep His promises alive.
In Jesus' life and ministry, the power of one woman is demonstrated
again and again through a number of different women. His mother, Mary,
is a powerful example as she is told the unbelievable and yet offers
herself to be fully used by the Lord. Martha and Mary, the sisters of
Lazarus, play a crucial role in the life and ministry of Jesus as does
Mary Magdalene. We also read about the powerful influence of Dorcas,
Phoebe, and Priscilla in the early Christian movement.
Of course we could list many other women who play important parts in
the story of the Bible. These have been chosen to remind us of the
power that one godly woman has to influence many others about things
that matter to God. If you are a woman, never underestimate what God
can do through you if you will let him. If you are a church leader,
Bible class teacher, or youth worker, please, remind our young ladies
of the vital role women have played in our story of faith.
Let's never forget the power of one woman to change her world!
---------
(c) 2005 Phil Ware <phil@heartlight.org>. All rights reserved.
RELATED LINKS:
* Rosa Parks: The Woman Who Changed a Nation
http://www.grandtimes.com/rosa.html
* Rosa Parks
http://www.grandtimes.com/rosa.html
* Southern Hills Church of Christ
http://www.southernhillschurch.org
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200511/20051107_onewoman.html