Tagged: boldness

HELLO ZELOPHEHAD’S DAUGHTERS

I am all about chivalry. I do not believe that it’s dead! I think men and women have specific roles and when we embrace these roles we can maximize our purposes and make amazing things happen for the Glory of God.

That being said… is it a contradiction that I am also all about Girl Power? Because I am!! I am an independent woman! I can do for myself and I don’t NEED a man in my life to validate who I am.

Which is why I love the story of Zelophehad’s daughters found in Numbers 27:1-11. There were 5 of them: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. They were stuck in the desert with the disobedient Israelites who couldn’t make it into the promised land. Their dad dies “for his own sin” and they were left with nothing. No brothers and apparently no husbands to take care of them these 5 women are penniless and basically homeless.

Until…. enter Girl Power.

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HELLO SHIPHRAH AND PUAH

Well hello there women of Exodus!!

I’m so excited to continue moving forward in my study of the women of the bible. Today we actually get to start checking out the women of Exodus. It only took 8 months to get here! Wow we were in the book of Genesis for 8 months! We covered a total of 31 women. I encourage you to go back and check out some of those posts here. I learned so much and am looking forward to what God will continue revealing through the stories of the women who made history.
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BOY OR GIRL
We left off in Genesis talking about Joseph’s Egyptian wife, Asenath. She had two sons who along with the rest of Jacob’s grandchildren married and had children of their own. At the beginning of Exodus we see that Joseph’s generation and their children’s generation died and Egypt had a new pharaoh. This is important because it helps set the scene for the actual story of the book of Exodus. The new pharaoh didn’t know Joseph or even cared to know. All he saw was the increasing number of foreigners who were residing in Egypt. These foreigners were all of Jacob’s descendants. Out of fear of being betrayed or overtaken by the ever growing Hebrew population the pharaoh made quite a disturbing decision.
In Exodus 1:15 we meet the two women who the pharaoh tried to recruit for his vile plan.
Exodus 1:15 “The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,”

Shiphrah and Puah are the women we will be focusing on today. The next few verses describe them as midwives and God fearing. The fact that they are midwives tells us that they are working women. I love that God didn’t forget about the working women.

If you are a working woman, remember that YOU matter to Him too!

In verse 16 pharaoh gives Shiphrah and Puah what he probably thought was a command that must be obeyed. He said,  “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” Pharaoh thought he would be able to control the rate at which the Hebrews were increasing. I literally shake my head. Seriously pharaoh? Last I checked, mankind does not have that type of power. Also, don’t mess with God’s people!

I’m so glad this next verse is here, 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.

Shiphrah and Puah valued God more than pharaoh’s orders. They knew that what pharaoh was asking of them was the wrong answer and they stood up for what they knew to be the truth. They were so gutsy! I mean pharaoh had the power to kill them if they chose to disobey him. These women were brave and demonstrated a true faithfulness and trust in God.

Heart check moment!

Am I standing up for what I know to be the truth or am I conforming to the ways of this world?

There are so many topics in our society today that are sensitive issues. Topics like abortion and gay marriage. I’m not going to get into them but let me just say this… are we conforming to this world’s view and what this world is saying the correct answer is? Or are we standing firm in what we know God’s word says is the absolute truth?

Obviously pharaoh was going to find out that there were new little Hebrew baby boys all over the place. He went to the midwives immediately questioning them. Verse 18 “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” What nerve!

I love Shiphrah and Puah’s response. These women were so darn bold. They stood up to pharaoh without any reservations. 19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

Shiphrah and Puah defended God’s people and all were blessed. First the nation of Israel and then the midwives themselves.

20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Verse 21 is such a great reminder that when we are obedient and faithful we too shall be blessed. We have no indication as to the age of these Godly women. We don’t know if they’ve been praying and crying out to God for children of their own. We can simply imagine the pain they might have felt every time they helped bring a new child into the world, a child that wasn’t theirs.

Shiphrah and Puah’s example sets forth a great challenge for us today. Will you join me in definding God’s truth? Will you commit to standing up for God’s word? Let’s be gutsy and bold like these two midwives, they stood up for what they knew to be true and were blessed.

My Prayer for You:
Dear Jesus, I come before you asking you to search our hearts today, Lord. Search us that all that is not of you may be removed and replaced with your love and compassion. I ask you for courage for myself and every single reader you’ve sent here today. I pray that we may stand firm in you because your word is living and true. I pray that we may not deny you but that we may live unashamed of our faith and belief in you. Heavenly Father thank you because you equip us with all that we need through your scriptures and place examples like Shiphrah and Puah in your word to remind us that your return is near. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Memory Verse: Romans 1:16
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
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