I pray you are as these women
mentioned in the Gospel of Luke as those who gave Jesus all they had, “And also
some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary, called
Magdalene, from whom seven demons had been expelled; And Joanna, the wife of
Chuza, Herod’s household manager; and Susanna; and many others, who ministered
to and provided for Him and them out of their property and personal
belongings.” Luke 8:2-3, Amplified
Version
There are women who are good at
serving; there are those who are granted the
gift of knowledge for excellent teachers. We have sisters in the church who are gifted
with children, prayer and gentle hearts for play. Christian, there are women whose voices could
bring a tear to the eye of all of us as she sings with the voice of an
angel. There are women in the church who
can feed an army, where the congregation could wait days for their gift of cooking.
There are serving hands and feet on the mission field, in the work place, in
the prayer closet and in the hospitals.
Are you using all of your gifts and talents to give Christ all you have?
My heart is
for the children and elderly. I love to
teach, I love to write, I love to pray, I love to worship and I love going to
the nursing home. I laugh as I write
this because it is so true! My husband
asks me every night how my day was. On
Wednesday and Thursday nights I can honestly say, “I had such fun at the
nursing home!” I volunteer a couple of hours on Wednesday mornings with the
“grandparents”. When my children were very small, I would tell them, “Today, we
are going to bless and love on some people like grandparents.” They knew we
were going to see the elderly and make them laugh or read or play with
them. Several of these sweet
“grandparents” have stolen our hearts.
I believe
the mission field can be in our own back yard, next door, down the street or
where ever God wants it to be. A few
miles from our house, I have taken my little ones to a nursing home where they
have been accepted with open arms. These
“grandparents” love the children, look for them each week and ask how they
are. We’ve given school pictures, crafts
and our hearts to them every week. It is
such a blessing.
There is
one, young woman who lives there with a brain disease. At times she is not coherent, but at other
times she knows exactly who you are. She
is unable to move. She is unable to
talk. At times she doesn’t recognize us,
but I have prayed that one day in Heaven, I will see this beautiful woman
dance, sing and rejoice to the Lord. My
little five year old likes to play “pee a boo” with her. This young woman, whom is unable to speak or
move, watches with eyes and wonder at my little Matthew as he plays, dances and
gently touches her hand. She
laughs. Her room mate looked at me and
said, “I have never heard her laugh.”
What a
cherished moment that once. I continue
to believe God uses her as an example for others to prayerfully thank God for
their abilities to move around and think, but also to remind us of serving with
a loving heart. The good doctor Luke
writes in the book of Acts 10:38, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all those
who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” What are you
anointed for?
There are biblical accounts of
women who God used to advance His kingdom. Anna fasted and prayed in the
church, Priscilla spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Mary and Martha opened
their house for bible studies being given the gift of hospitality, widows and
women gave their money to God’s Temple. The women who followed Jesus gave to Him
food, lodging, caring for His every need, never thinking of their own
possessions as they shared what they could do for him.
“Now you are the body of Christ,
and each one of you is a part of it.” (1
Corinthians 12:27). “We have different gifts, according to the grace given
us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let
him use it in proportion to his faith.
If it is serving, let him serve, if it is teaching, let him teach, if it
is encouraging, let him encourage, if it contributing to the needs of others,
let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it
showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” (Romans
12:6-8).
“Therefore as God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. Bear with each
other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which
binds them all together in perfect unity.”
(Colossians 3:12-14). We are called
not only serve with our hands and feet, but with our hearts. With pure motives and a sincere heart, we are
to love the ones who are in need. If you
know of a need, do not neglect to supply what you have or pass the need on to
someone. If you are able to care, love,
encourage, inspire, give, help or instruct, then do it with all of your heart.
As examples of Christ, ambassadors
in chains, we are to be a living, breathing epistles to the world. I am aware the church has its own challenges,
divisions, luke warmness and idleness.
But, I remember the words of Christ to Peter when asked what would
happen to “the disciple Jesus loves” regarding the death Jesus portrayed to
Peter, “If I want him to remain alive until I return,
what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:22). You follow Christ.
Pick up your own cross, think and obediently do the things Jesus has
asked you to do with a willing heart and spirit. Do not try to imitate what another believer
does, it may not be your calling. Do not
worry about how much time is spend spreading the Gospel or another Christian’s
lackaday attitude, you follow Christ. Do
not worry how much another woman gives; you give what God tells you to
give. Do not worry about another’s lack
of study or worship, you worship, study and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. We are all in different seasons and times in
our lives; different trials, testing and triumphs. Do not compare your purpose, plan and
testimony to another.
Pray, seek God’s counsel, guidance
and learn from the Word of God. The plan
is there; your purpose and talents are needed in the body of Christ. Give what you have to the Lord with a joyful
spirit, a thankful heart and watch how the Lord is blessed through your giving.
Pray out loud and
CONFESS the Word of God:
Adonai,
I am so
thankful for the gift of these women mentioned in the bible. I am so thankful I can study them and see how
much you love your daughters. Just as
these women followed and gave what they had to your ministry, I pray I can give
you what I have and use it for your purposes.
I pray the gifts you graciously bestowed on me will enhance your
Kingdom, grow a harvest for you, be used for your Glory, and spread the gospel
of Jesus of Nazareth. I know we all have
different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying – then I pray
he use it in proportion to his faith. If
I am to serve, let me serve; if I am to teach, let me teach; if I am an
encourager, let me never tire of encouraging; if I am to contribute to the
needs of others, then I pray I give generously; if I am called to leadership,
let me govern diligently; if I am to show mercy, then I pray to be a woman who does
it cheerfully (Romans 12:6-8)
Teach me to
study so I may give a word in due season (1
Timothy 4:2). Teach me to follow
submissively behind you for I want your will, not my own. Teach me to open my heart to new believers
offering my home as a sanctuary for prayer, counsel, and praise. Teach me to fast and pray when called by Your
Holy Spirit to. Lord, help me to tithe
my money to your church and if asked to give more, open my heart for your
generous spirit. I do not want to hold
onto the things of this world which are destroyed by rust and moth, but store
up my treasures in heaven, secretly giving to those who are in need and giving
you the glory (Matthew 6:19-21). Help me to love the orphans and widows,
loving those who are in need and not neglecting to care for those who are sick,
troubled, diseased or held in bondages.
Lord, show
me how to use everything you’ve given me for your glory, withholding nothing
for I do not want any obstacles or hindrances to stand between you and me. I pray if I am new a Christian woman, give me
godly Christian elders to observe, glean from, pray with and honor, lest I
become conceited or puffed up with pride (1
Timothy 3:6) I pray I am a woman who can be entrusted and approved with the
gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:4). I pray
to be clothed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience. Bearing with my fellow
believers, forgiving and putting on love, which binds everything in perfect
unity (Colossians 3:12-14).
Lord, give me your spirit of wisdom
as to when to volunteer, how much time to spend in your presence and how much
time for my family (Isaiah 11:2). I pray for balance, sound mind and the rest
due after serving you and your kingdom (2
Timothy 1:7, Mark 6:31). For I desire you hear my prayers and offerings,
that they are a sweet aroma to you bestowing all grace and honor to the King of
Kings, Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ the Messiah! I pray this in your precious
Son’s name, the name above all names, Jesus of Nazareth. Amen.
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