April 1, 2021
Never underestimate a woman of faith
In Judges 4-5, Israel goes to battle to drive the Canaanites out, but the final victory goes to an unlikely hero: a woman. In Judges 6, the cycle repeats when Israel does evil and the Lord hands them over to Midian until He appoints a new unlikely hero in Gideon.
In Luke 8, Jesus uses a gardening parable to explain what happens when people hear this good news. Jesus redefines what it means to be family, stressing the importance of living in obedience to the word of God.
Observation and Activation
In today’s passages, women play key roles in bringing God’s plans to pass.
A woman speaks on the Lord’s behalf, rallying Barak and leading the army into battle. A woman takes out the Canaanite commander. And women traveled with Jesus and the apostles “helping to support them out of their own means” (Luke 8:2-3). At a time when women were often seen as property, God gives women gifting and opportunity.
Think about the ways you see women making a difference in the church today. Who are the women whose obedience and sacrifice helped shape your faith?