“One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:36-50‬ ‭ESV‬‬

She had heard He would be at Simon’s house. I can imagine her walking to the house, grief welling up, trying to find words that could carry the weight of her heart. And yet, standing at Jesus’ feet, any words she had found fell away with the tears that rolled from her cheeks. Tears mixed with the dust that still clung to His feet as He reclined at the table. A table to which she was uninvited. 

A lack of invitation did not hinder her. She needed to see Jesus. No one had to remind her she was a sinner. She knew it, and the knowledge ached beneath her skin. 

With a broken heart, the sinful woman knelt at Jesus’ feet in an unfettered act of worship and repentance. With her hair unbound, she wiped away the many tears that had fallen from her face to His feet. In reverence, she kissed them and anointed them with precious oil from a newly broken jar. With a posture of humility and desperation, she sought forgiveness for the sinfulness that had taken the place of her name. 

Every time I encounter the story of this unnamed woman, my heart breaks. This is a woman who realized the gravity of her sin, but in seeing the recognition of her own deep need of forgiveness, I am confronted by mine. We share a brokenness. The aching knowledge of my messes and terrible choices is thick. I have hurt others for my own gain, carried selfishness veiled with kind actions, and spoken gossip where encouragement belonged. I am in desperate need of mercy and forgiveness. Yet in this place of desperation, hope is not extinguished. No, it is given new life. Because of Jesus. 

Jesus dares to love with ferocity and mercy. He offered up His very life to make right all my wrongs - past, present, and future. He paid what I never could, and I know forgiveness because of Him. And in knowing I have been forgiven, how do I now love? The perspective that informs how I see my failings informs how greatly I love. As Jesus tells Simon, “But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” If I undervalue the cost of forgiveness, I love out of poverty. But if I see the price of forgiveness as dear, I love out of abundance. 

My sisters, what if we dared to seek Jesus with abandon as this forgiven woman did? What would our lives look like? What knowledge would our hearts hold? He awaits us with tenderness, with freedom, with peace.

Are we equally desperate to adore and celebrate the One who has intervened on our behalf and paid what we could not, who took on skin to save us? If not, what is holding us back?

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Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV

Today's team journal was written by our Conference Coordinator, Melanie Newhouse.

As a little girl, I remember my mama centering the wooden holder on our table, fixing the plastic holly wreath, and securing the candles in their places.  During dinner, I watched, transfixed, when she lit the candles. The flames flickered; melting, and dribbling wax danced before my eyes.  

Advent traditions have existed for centuries as a way to prepare the believer’s heart to celebrate the coming Savior, God Incarnate.  Advent is a word, with Latin roots, meaning ‘arrival’ or ‘coming.’ However, it was translated from its Greek counterpart, parousia, which the Outline of Biblical Usage defines this way:

1. presence, 2. the coming, arrival, advent; and 2a. the future visible return from heaven of Jesus, to raise the dead, hold the last judgment, and set up formally and gloriously the kingdom of God.  

This is a season to stop and reflect upon our Holy God sending His only, perfect Son to seek and save the lost, to set captives free, and to be our righteous Redeemer.

This Greek word is seen many places in the scriptures in reference to Christ’s Second Coming (Matthew. 24:3, 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 5:23; James 5:7; 2 Peter 3:4; 1 John 2:28).  Early believers used the four weeks before Christmas not only to celebrate Christ’s first coming to mark redemption for mankind, but His Second Coming to restore His Kingdom for eternity.  This is a season to stop and reflect upon our Holy God sending His only, perfect Son to seek and save the lost, to set captives free, and to be our righteous Redeemer. Through the years, our family has followed scripture reading plans, read devotionals and storybooks, decorated Jesse Trees, sang Christmas carols, all in efforts to focus on the reason for the season -- the coming Messiah, Jesus, Immanuel, God with us.

Recently, I was reflecting on how He announced His coming.  After His glorious baptism and His testing in the wilderness, we hear about the early start of Jesus’ ministry in the synagogues.  In Luke 4, we see Jesus, coming to His hometown, using a tradition to announce His good news:

16 And [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth…

With the reading of this prophecy, found now in Isaiah 61, Jesus was announcing His arrival.  Simply speaking, this word left His audience in awe. Can you imagine sitting in that synagogue, hearing the original Author proclaim the fulfillment of the scriptures -- that the One they were waiting for was standing in the flesh before them?  Imagine how your eyes would be transfixed upon Him, marveling at the grace on His lips as He spoke this word with authority and certainty. What an awe-inducing moment it would have been! Unlike the majority of us today, the first century Israelites sitting in the synagogue would have known the rest of this passage from the prophet Isaiah.  Jesus was telling them, this is indeed the year of the Lord’s favor. I have come! I have come to give you a “beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit” (Is 61:3-4).  I have come so you “may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:5). How beautiful is this announcement of His Coming!

When we study the prophets, we often not only see prophecy related to the coming Messiah who will dwell with man on Earth, but we see prophecy related to the future day of the Lord, His Second Coming when He will judge and reign over His Kingdom perfectly.  Isaiah 61 is no different. It concludes with the voice of the Messiah proclaiming: 

10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.

This talk of the Bride and  Bridegroom is a beautiful metaphor, which points to His glorious Second Coming.  The apostle John, whose book of Revelation overflows with exquisite imagery, also compares Jesus to a bridegroom  and the people of God as His bride. He describes his vision of the second coming of our Savior this way:

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."... 9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." (Rev 21:1-4, 9)

What a glorious day this will be!  Oh, sisters, during this Advent season, let us not only celebrate that Christ came, let us wait with great eagerness for His Second Coming.

Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.

-- Charles Wesley, 1744

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Melanie Newhouse has called Christ her Redeemer since attending summer camp when she was 17. Shortly after, she began dating the man she calls her husband and best friend. They have had the joy of raising four boys together and, as a family, moved to Ohio from their beloved Michigan six and a half years ago. One of her favorite Scriptures is Psalm 119:169-176:
“Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word! Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word. My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.
My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right. Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight. Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.”

When I say the word Song of Solomon, what comes to mind? If you are churched at all, perhaps you know it as the sex book of the Bible. Just me? I’ve thought of it as a little embarrassing to read maybe, and awkward to talk about in the church. My hypothesis is that it is easier to laugh off our discomfort about it than to fully investigate it. It is a recorded conversation between lovers in the Bible, and we are supposed to read the Bible,but I still feel like I’m witnessing something maybe I shouldn’t be. Isn’t it too intimate or personal? 

God is very purposeful with what He includes in Scripture. Paul writes this to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” In light of this verse, Song of Solomon is not just a few risque conversations between lovers; this book is breathed out by God for our benefit. So we should not only read the book, but dive in deep. And for the purpose of this post, explore who this nameless female lover and her words which take up half the book! 

*I’d encourage you to read the book in its entirety before continuing in this post.
It is 8 chapters, so it won’t take you long!*

Song of Solomon has many different interpretations. Some think it is all an allegory showcasing the love of God to His people. Some believe the book to be an anthology of sorts, a compilation of love poems or songs. Two more interpretations hold the thought that it is a story of love between a shepherdess and either a shepherd or King Solomon. 

What is not so debated, however, is the description of the “she” character in the book. The ESV Bible introduction states that she is “perhaps the most clearly drawn female character in the Bible.” 

I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or the does of the field, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases. Song of Solomon 2:7

So, who is she? A shepherdess, a country girl, a Shulammite woman, most likely from the village of Shunmen, a part of the northern kingdom. She is a lover. We would call her head over heels in love, but at the same time, she fights for a pure union with her lover. She is eager to marry this man, and to make love to him, but she wants to do this thing right (aka “do not stir up or awaken love until it pleases” Song of Solomon 2:7.) She tells others about her beloved, speaks of her admiration for him, and her desire for him. She is excited to give herself to him. (My beloved is mine, and I am his. Song of Solomon 2:16.) 

She not only gives this love, but receives it, as exemplified by the back and forth nature of the exchanges. Their love is public, clear for all to see. She states “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” (Song of Solomon 2:4) The word for banner here is only used once elsewhere in Scripture, in Numbers 2:2, as something flown to share the identity of an army in camps and battles. Their love, therefore, is declared and becomes a part of their identity and declares it to their enemies.

So we do not know the name of this shepherdess, but we do know her identity was rooted in love. As our identity can also be!

As I’ve been listening to the most recent series of the Dayton Women in the Word podcast, I was struck by how Kalie McDonald described the Gospel as the greatest love story. She quoted one of my favorite passages, Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” She described herself going on dates with God and described him as her husband, a way we can all describe Jesus! It delights me to witness her public passion for the greatest love of her life.

For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. Isaiah 54:5

Our marriage with the Lord is a refrain throughout the entirety of Scripture. God describes Himself as our Husband (Isaiah 54:5,) He calls the church His bride (Ephesians 5:25,) and He wants us to own and act upon our identity as His beloved (1 John 4:7-12.) I remember all we learned in our Hosea summer study, about how God relentlessly pursues us, and restores us from us from adulterous sinner to His beloved bride. Like the shepherdess, we too will be attending a wedding banquet with our bridegroom, the wedding feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9.) 

In the garden, Adam and Even walked in this perfect love. They were naked and felt no shame (Gen 2:25.) I’ve heard it said that in Christ, we are “fully known and fully loved.” They were living with the Lord and flourishing under his good plan for this earth. When they sinned, their intimacy with God was wrecked, and their intimacy with each other as well. 

In Song of Solomon, I see a woman described with delight. I see two lovers obeying God, living according to His boundaries for sex and freely enjoying each other within them. I see no shame described. They are flourishing and free. Although interpretations differ on this specific book, we do know that marriage is the way God wants us to understand His relationship with us. As I read about the shepherdess in Song of Solomon, I feel an invitation to accept (without blushing!) God’s delight in me, His Bride. I feel the invitation to walk in the identity of love He has placed on my life and to feast with Him at the table. I want to obey Him to keep our marriage pure because I made a covenant to Him, and He to me. 

How would you describe Jesus if you were the shepherdess, describing her lover? What would you say? Write? We often annotate the attributes of God in our studies. Why not make it a love letter, and why not share it with others? I believe when we accept the love of Jesus, we won’t be able to help but brag on our Husband. It might seem too good to be true, but the reality is, it is TRUE. Others may think they are witnessing something too personal, but you will show them anyway because you want them to have intimacy with God like you do. 

And if you don’t know Jesus this way yet, it’s time to embrace the love He has for you. His desire is for you to be His. He is eagerly awaiting His bride, and we eagerly await Him.

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Jillian Vincent loves Jesus. She's a wife, a mother of boys, and a Dayton enthusiast. Jillian currently is a stay at home mama and spends nap times writing and discipling other women. She would (almost) die for an avocado, a cup of coffee made by her husband, a novel that makes her cry, and a bouquet of sunflowers.

The holidays are drawing ever closer, and we are so excited to make much of Jesus with you during this special time, friends! To continue our DWITW Advent Resource round-up tradition, today we’re sharing some new finds with you for 2019. You can also check out lists from previous years for even more ideas.

As we’ve said before, we know not everyone celebrates Advent and there is quite a range of Christmas traditions among Christians, so please keep in mind: this post is not meant to be an "Advent To Do" list. It is nearly impossible to use and enjoy all of these resources in a single Advent season. Our goal is to connect you with the resources  already out there and put them all in one place for easy access.

Note: All of the resources we shared last year and in years prior (2017 & 2016) are excellent and many are still available, so go check those out too! This post will focus on what's new (or new-to-us) for 2019.

Devotional Plans

• She Reads Truth 2019 Advent Collection (includes devotionals for women, men and kids' activities)

• Advent 2019 studies from Sacred Holidays

• Advent 2019 Guided Scripture Journal by All Good Things Co.

• The Daily Grace Co. 2019 Advent Collection

• Behold the Lamb by Well Watered Women

• Hope is Alive by IF:Gathering

Books

• Silence and Other Surprising Invitations of Advent by Enuma Okoro

Family Resources and Activities

• Christ at the Center Cards by Tiny Theologians

• Seeds of Christmas pack from Seeds Family Worship

• Prepare Him Room by Marty Machowski

• The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell & Catalina Echeverri (and coordinating Advent Calendar.)

• The Littlest Watchman by Scott James & Geraldine Rodríguez (has a partnering Advent Calendar, too!)

• “A Very Noisy Christmas” by Tim Thornborough & Jennifer Davison

• “A Jesus Christmas” by Barbara Reaoch

Advent Calendars

• Calendar Cards by All Good Things Co.

• Candle Cards from Daily Grace Co.

Music

• ”Christmas” by Phil Wickham

• ”Christmas” by Sandra McCracken

• “Light Has Come” by Future of Forestry

Videos

• The Origins of Christmas | Why Do We Call It Christmas? By Phil Vischer

What are some of you and your family’s favorite ways to enjoy and savor this season? We’d love for you to share with us in the comments below!

They went each to his own house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continue to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and from now on sin no more.” John 7:53-8:11 

I spend a lot of time thinking about dignity. As the writer for Back2Back Ministries*, a global orphan care ministry,  the bulk of my job is sharing stories of growth and triumph from cyclical trauma on behalf of vulnerable populations.  And I consider every word carefully. One of the house rules at Back2Back is to ask oneself, “if the subject of this story heard it read aloud, would they feel shame? Embarrassment? Pride?” I work for an organization who is diligent about showing smiling faces and providing the hope that comes after hurt. And when I read this passage about the adulterous woman, I know confidently I walk with a Father who is also in the business of  not only focusing on the hope, but gives it, and He removes our hurt. A Father who provides dignity to populations who may not know it well. And He takes these positions seriously.  

I walk with a Father who is also in the business of  not only focusing on the hope, but gives it, and He removes our hurt.

As I read this passage of Scripture, I consider the adulterous woman. I imagine the Pharisees winging her into the center of a large crowd and scoffing. If I were in her position, I’d likely be trying to fold in on myself as much as possible – cowering, arms crossed over my body, doing anything I could to make myself smaller amidst the crowd. Her heart must’ve been beating so fast, trying her best not to imagine the ping of stones against her flesh, wondering how long it would take before she’d draw her last breath. And all the while, I imagine the crowd was jeering and taunting.

Can you imagine the isolation and fear she must’ve felt? 

And this is what shame in the place of dignity does to us, sisters. You may never have cheated on your husband or significant other, but I imagine we can all recall a moment where we were publicly called out for sin. In these moments, our fear brain whispered to us, “you’re the only unclean one here, girl – everyone knows it’s true.”

Jesus then does what He always does – gently reminds those Pharisees they’re no worse or better than the woman they’re wishing to condemn. “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Now that’s a mic drop, if I’ve ever heard one.

Jesus doesn’t point His finger at each of the Pharisees and list their indiscretions aloud for all to hear – even though He could have.

Jesus doesn’t further shame the adulterous woman with her additional sins that the crowd doesn’t know – even though He could have.

Jesus doesn’t yell or criticize or lose His cool over a crew of bros trying to tell Him how to do His work on this side of Heaven – even though He could have.

He just calls it like it is – you boys with clean hands? Go ahead, throw the stones. And one by one, they walk away, until it’s just the woman and Jesus. He asks where they’ve all gone, asks who condemned her, and she says, “No one, my Lord.” 

“Me, either,” He responds. “Go. . .”

With just a few sentences, He provided dignity for a woman who believed she was going to be publicly chastised and stoned to death.

I empathize with this woman. It’s not a good feeling when our sin is called out publicly. However, she isn’t necessarily who I’m wanting to model after reading this story.  

It’s our Savior.

He has all the information. He knows all the mishaps. He has an ongoing record of every wrong committed. Yet He offers grace and dignity.

He doesn’t put the Pharisees on blast, He simply reminds them they’re not so pure.

He doesn’t encourage the crowd to do what the Law commanded of them, He just asks who’s gonna throw the first stone.

He doesn’t even lecture the woman at fault, He just asks who condemned her after all the hullabaloo.

He is gracious, tender, forgiving, and He seeks to restore the dignity with which He made each of us.

May we all be so, when dealing with other humans. May we each remember everyone has a past. May we recall the times we were called out, and how it felt. May we always know that no matter the story, no matter the history, no matter the sins, everyone deserves dignity. 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. - Genesis 1:27

*For more information about this ministry, visit https://back2back.org.

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Steph Duff wants to live in a world where every human, whether small or regular-sized, learns to use their voice and is seen and known. When she's not traveling and story telling with Back2Back Ministries, you'll likely find her drinking excessive cups of coffee, with her nose in a book, or daydreaming about India. Her favorite scripture is Habakkuk 1:5, and she prays for a world in which Jesus is the name on every lip. Learn a little more about her love for semi-colons, what stirs her blood, and the yearnings of her heart over at www.stephaniduff.wordpress.com.

Imagine with me you’re a woman living in ancient Israel. There’s a famine happening, because there’s a war happening. Your Syrian neighbors to the north have been battling against your home country and trying to invade your city. Food is scarce. You can’t remember the last time you’ve eaten. You’ve got at least one son, and your husband is likely out fighting in the war. You’ve got to figure out how to keep yourself alive. 

Nothing’s being harvested in the fields, and no new wine is being pressed. Prices for food are sky high. People have resorted to selling unclean animals, like donkeys, in parts for consumption. The thought of eating a donkey’s head would normally make you cringe, but right now, you’d eat anything.

You’re in agony. You’re hungry - deeply, desperately hungry like you’ve never been before. So hungry you consider doing things you never thought you’d do. 

In 2 Kings 6, we find one such woman. She and another unnamed woman are so desperate for food they make a pact to eat their sons - one that very night, and one the next day.

Things don’t turn out the way she planned, though. We meet her as she is crying out for help to Jehoram, the King of Israel:

“Now as the king of Israel (Jehoram) was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, ‘Help, my lord, O king!’ And he said, “If the Lord will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?’ And the king asked her, ‘What is your trouble?’ She answered, ‘This woman said to me, “Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.” So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, “Give your son, that we may eat him.” But she has hidden her son.’ When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes..” (2 Kings 6:26-30)

What a devastating story. A family wrecked by war and famine, two desperate women, and a helpless king driven into continual mourning. The woman came to him looking for justice, but the golden era of wise and just Israeli kings had passed. The king entertained her question, but provided no solution. Her story broke him and pushed him over the edge. He was openly wrecked by the state of his nation.

The idea (and even more so, the reality) of cannibalism sends shivers down our spines. How could a mother even think of eating her son? How could the second mother in the story eat someone else’s child? We are so far removed from this kind of famine we cannot understand their level of hopelessness and hunger. 

I find that in times when I am overwhelmed, confused, shocked, or even disgusted by God’s Word, I need to search the Bible for more. I need a fuller picture. I need context. When I encountered this passage, I wondered, “What else does God say about this?” 

I found an answer in Leviticus 26:27-29:

“But if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins. You shall eat the flesh of your sons and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters.”

Woah. 

When God gave His people the law, He clearly laid out His responses to their actions. If the people obeyed the law, they would experience God’s blessing. If they turned away from Him in rebellion, they would experience His punishment. Along with famine, disease, war, and destruction, cannibalism is mentioned in the long list of curses for disobeying God’s law (Lev. 26 and Deut. 28:53-57.) 

God was not surprised to see those two unnamed women make their grievous deal. He warned His people about it hundreds of years before. He spoke of cannibalism explicitly through the prophet Jeremiah and the writer of Lamentations (Jer. 19:9, Lam. 2:20, 4:10.) He even said that ears of all who heard about these things would tingle (Jer. 19:3.) The cannibalism in this story was the result of Israel’s collective rejection of God.

It’s not that these women were horrible, cold, vicious, or unfeeling. In fact, God said “the most tender and refined woman” would succumb to distress and resort to eating her child under the curse (Deut. 28:56.) Lamentations says “the hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children” (Lam. 4:10.) These weren’t careless mothers. 

He’s our daily bread, our sustenance, satisfying every desperate craving and depraved thought…the source of our hope and turns our mourning into dancing.

Israel, as a nation, made a covenant with God to walk in His ways. They promised to follow His plan for a flourishing life (the law,) and in return, He promised never to leave them or forsake them. But, they broke the covenant over and over, and as a result, they bore the consequences over and over. The woman in our story, along with the rest of God’s people, collectively bore the curse for deserting the one true God. Breaking relationship with God has serious consequences, both then and now.

We don’t hear anything more in the passage about what happened to the woman. We know her life was broken and her community was suffering. We know she endured great loss. We also know the Lord brought miraculous economic recovery to Samaria the very next day through the words of Elisha (2 Kings 7.) So maybe she was able to eat again, and maybe her husband came back from war, but my guess is that if she lived, she lived under guilt and shame for her actions toward her son - the guilt and shame of the curse. 

But unlike the woman, who could only look forward to a coming Messiah, we have a Savior, a Snake Crusher - Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He became a curse for us and redeemed us from the law (Gal. 3:13.) He kept our side of the covenant perfectly. He was rejected by God the Father, that we might be accepted and blessed. He gave us His Spirit, who helps us to listen to and walk with God. He’s our daily bread, our sustenance, satisfying every desperate craving and depraved thought. He is the source of our hope and turns our mourning into dancing (Ps. 30:11.) 

May we live with an awareness of our Great God and all of His blessings. May we dance at the thought of the lifted curse! May we believe with faith that Jesus is coming again to make all of the wrong things right and the sad things untrue. May we leave strange passages of Scripture like this one with hope, believing that Jesus has or will redeem it all.

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Today's team journal was written by our Conference Co-coordinator, Kacey Dixon.

This year has been shaped by disappointment and loss for our family. Between losing my father to a battle with addiction and cancer, to leaving our church home of seven plus years, we have experienced the sting loss can bring. With that being said, it has also been filled with sanctification, growth, and learning to be satisfied in the riches of Christ.

Paul’s Example

Ephesians 3:7-8 tells us,
“Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,” 

Paul was writing to the Church in Ephesus, and at the beginning of Ephesians greets them with all “grace and peace.” In these few short verses we see Paul’s humility, as he refers to himself as the least of all the saints. We see he was to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. The great mystery of the Gospel was now to be revealed to the Gentiles. Paul, who once violently persecuted early Christians (Galatians 1:13,) is now proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel for all people, Jew and Gentile alike! He is to teach that the riches of Christ are so deep, so many, so unfathomable that they are unsearchable. We could search infinitely but never fully find all of His many riches. He is infinite and we are finite.

Paul, who once persecuted believers, was able to fully realize his desperate condition without the forgiveness of Christ. He was able to see the grace and peace that Christ offers. He was to exhort those he once persecuted, the grace and forgiveness that God offers us through Christ. Oh, how the grace of God was made known through Paul’s life.

If anyone had a reason to feel the sting of loss, it would have been Paul, as he wrote the letter to the Church of Ephesus during one of his many imprisonments. Instead, Paul teaches in Philippians 4, that the secret to the contentment he has found, is in the strength of Christ and rejoicing in Him (Philippians 4:4-13.)

Riches of Christ

So what exactly are some of these riches of Christ Paul is referring to? We know they are infinite and worthy of seeking after. This list is just a few of the many, unsearchable treasures we have in Christ.

1. Our Greatest Treasure

Jesus Christ, God’s gift to man, is and should be our greatest treasure and greatest delight in this life. The mystery of the Gospel revealed to man, that Jesus, fully God and fully man would humble Himself to come to this earth and live a life we never could and die a death we fully deserve, so we can be in right relationship with the Father. The richness to this treasure could be infinitely explored and never exhausted. We can understand Paul’s humility when we see the grace God has lavished upon us. He is foremost our greatest gift. We do not come to Jesus for the gifts He brings, rather He is the gift. All of the other gifts or riches He offers us are simply reflections of Himself.

2. His love, His grace, His peace, His mercy, His kindness

These are just a few of the riches in Christ we have once we have experienced the forgiveness of our sins and reconciliation with the Father. We are so undeserving of His kindness which leads us to repentance. We are so undeserving of His grace and mercy He offers in salvation and the forgiveness and forbearance that comes in our sanctification. When we fail and need forgiveness, and He forgives (John 1:1,) we taste first-hand the goodness of Christ.

3. His knowledge and truth

The last treasure in Christ I want to speak on is His infinite knowledge and wisdom. (Psalm 139:6) God knows all, sees all, is in control of all. Difficult times point us to the One who created us and is in control of all things, so we don’t have to be in control. We can surrender to a God who sees all, knows all, and loves. All pointing us back to the Father, showing our dependency upon Him. There is no real truth or knowledge apart from the knowledge and truth of Christ. This brings great comfort during times of difficulty. At least it has for me.

Being Satisfied in His Riches

When I lost my father to his battle with addiction and cancer, I could entrust my soul to my faithful Creator who knows all things. I was reminded of my humble state before the Father, that He would even save a sinner like me. I can then rejoice in the grace He offers. The Spirit has been reminding me I need to be satisfied in Him, He is my greatest treasure, and greatest delight. Oh how I pray, that I would believe this and the Lord would help me believe it, in my unbelief. These life circumstances apply to my life, but maybe they can minister to yours as well.

So...

When you don’t get approved for that mortgage on your dream house…
lift your eyes from the temporal satisfactions of this world to the infinite and eternal riches of Christ.

When the Lord leads you to a new church after being somewhere for many years…
lift your eyes from the temporal satisfactions of this world to the infinite and eternal riches of Christ.

When your father loses the battle with cancer and addiction...
lift your eyes from the temporal satisfactions of this world to the infinite and eternal riches of Christ.

When you’ve lost your temper with your kids and said things you wish you could take back…
repent and lift your eyes from the temporal satisfactions of this world to the infinite and eternal riches of Christ. 

These examples are personal to my life, but throw in any assortment of earthly disappointment or sin we may experience here, and the same will apply. Even amidst abundant seasons of this life, not marked by difficulty or loss, we still must lift our eyes from the temporal satisfactions of this world to the infinite and eternal riches of Christ.

It is not always easy to lift our eyes from the “here” to the “not yet,” but my hope is that we may be women who can face any circumstantial difficulty, loss, or abundance this side of heaven with hope and ultimate satisfaction in Christ. He is our greatest treasure. May we never give up on discovering and searching for the infinite treasures He offers. May we look up from every situation to see Christ in all, and above all. May this comfort our hearts, and may we be satisfied in the never ending riches of Christ. May God be glorified in our satisfaction in Him. As John Piper says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” May this be true for my life and yours as well. 

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Kacey Dixon is a lover of Jesus, wife, stay-at-home mama of three and helps her husband run his small business. She loves coffee over ice and has a soft spot for helping broken women in need.

Meditations on Mark 7:24-30 and Matthew 15:21-28.

I remember studying about this Syrophoenician/Caananite woman during the Mark summer study. This is one of those stories I always glimpsed through but never really understood. Is Jesus really calling her a dog? This is a little more than unsettling. And she is agreeing with Him? I kind of want to defend her. 

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian Sythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Colossians 3:11

If ever there was a case for the metanarrative, this is it. I don’t believe we can understand this story without first understanding the Old Testament’s stories of a chosen people (the Israelites) and the good news of the Gospel and what that means for Gentiles like the Syrophoenician woman (and myself and probably you too.) It is also a case for context, because upon further study, we find that Jesus was in Tyre and Sidon, a primarily Gentile region. As Jesus was a Jew, He was pursuing Gentiles by taking His ministry and influence into their territory. Although the word dog is unsettling to us, Jesus’ actions show a clear pursuit to those previously considered “unchosen.” His character is consistent. He is the Good Shepherd going after the stray sheep.

In my ESV Study Bible, it gives interpretation for each part of this conversation between Jesus and the woman. It says the bread represents Jesus’ message, the children are the Jews, and the dogs are the Gentiles. God chose a people for Himself. This started with Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 15) who later made up the nation and people of Israel. When Christ came, He grafted the Gentiles into the same promises He gave to the Israelites (Colossians 3:11, Ephesians 2:11-22, Galatians 3:28.) We were adopted into the family of God. So now, we are not the dogs waiting for the crumbs. We can feast on the Bread of Life Himself, seated at the table as part of the family of God! 

In this account in both Matthew and Mark, we have a woman in desperation. She is pleading for deliverance from a demon for her daughter. After this curious conversation between the woman and Jesus, He graciously grants her what she is asking. This story, although only six and seven odd verses respectively in each gospel, is a huge foreshadowing of a much greater deliverance, one open to all people. 

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28

Jesus came not just for the Jew but for the Gentile. Additionally, in a male dominant culture, this is yet another account of Jesus caring about women and showing that His grace, healing, and relationship is not only for men, but for women as well. 

There was hope for the Syrophoenician woman and her daughter when there seemed like there was no hope.

There is hope for all of us.

I invite you to meditate on the above mentioned passages in Ephesians, Colossians, and Galatians with me today. I pray we have the faith and humility to see our rightful place and also see how Jesus traded us our rightful place for His. May we never get over the beauty of that truth. We have a new identity, a new birthright, a new family. We who were once far off have now been brought near. Ah, the nearness of Christ! When we accept this new reality, I believe evil will flee from us just as it did from the household of this humble woman.

See yourself in the place of the Syrophoenician woman. We have much in common with her. I am also a Gentile and in great need. Jesus pursued me, meeting me where I was at, to bring me His deliverance. He saw me begging for scraps and called me into a great feast. 

If you feel like you are undeserving of God’s grace, well that is true. I don’t say that to put you down. I’m here with you. One of my favorite lyrics from Relient K is “the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair.” It is humbling, but without Jesus, we don’t have a seat at the table. However with Jesus, we are coheirs with Christ! What a miracle!

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,1 but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into la holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:11-22

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Jillian Vincent loves Jesus. She's a wife, a mother of boys, and a Dayton enthusiast. Jillian currently is a stay at home mama and spends nap times writing and discipling other women. She would (almost) die for an avocado, a cup of coffee made by her husband, a novel that makes her cry, and a bouquet of sunflowers.

Today's team journal was written by our Team Lead, Natalie Herr.

There is a lot of conflict in my house. 

Let me backup. 

There are a lot of people in my house. Seven, to be exact. Four of them are under the age of nine. If you do the math, it works out to twenty one different relationships under one roof! You can imagine how a conflict or two might arise in these conditions. (And that’s not even counting all the relationships we maintain outside our home. Yowza.)

Sometimes, the conflicts have nothing to do with me. Sometimes, I cause them. Sometimes, they are easy to resolve and sometimes, they take months or years to sort out. The bottom line for me (and I’d guess for you, too) is this: I find myself involved in conflict more often than I’d like.

If I had my way, I’d be living in a conflict-free world. Conflict has a way of bringing me down, you know? It’s not fun. It’s not easy. It takes too long. It keeps me from doing what I want to do. I would rather be doing almost anything else than sorting out a conflict (especially one that I think is foolish.) And that, my friends, is precisely why the Spirit wants me to engage in it. Regularly.

With His Spirit in us, we are like Him, and can make peace like Him.

At the beginning of His famous sermon in Matthew 5-7, Jesus tells us what it looks like to live a flourishing Kingdom life. He says that one of the things flourishing folks do is make peace. Kingdom people (or “sons of God” in Jesus’ words) are peacemakers (Matt. 5:9.)

Now, I know because of Jesus (and John 1:12 and Romans 8:15) that I’m a daughter of God. I’m a Kingdom person. That’s been settled on the cross, and my Savior’s beatitudes apply to me. So it should follow that I’m a peacemaker, correct? Reconciliation is something I should strive for as a child of God. I shouldn’t try to avoid conflict or rush through it, no - I should see it as an opportunity to make peace.

Peace, in biblical terms, isn’t just about the absence of conflict. It’s about completeness, wholeness - shalom. David encourages us to “turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Ps. 34:14.) We should be running after peace - chasing it down. When we expend the energy to run after something, it’s usually important to us, right? David is saying that peace (wholeness, completeness) is worth the effort. We should want peace. Not because it makes our lives easier, but because it gets us closer to shalom. Closer to a flourishing life. Closer to Jesus. 

Jesus, the-capital-S Son of God, is the great peacemaker. The SHALOM-maker. The reconciler. With His Spirit in us, we are like Him, and can make peace like Him. Sons of God - and daughters of God - are peacemakers. We have our Father’s character. What He pursues, we pursue.

So, how do we live into this identity? I’ve got three suggestions.

We welcome the Spirit.

Peace is a fruit of the Spirit’s work in our lives (Gal. 5:22). The more we welcome the Spirit into our hearts, thoughts, and decision-making, the more peace will grow. We can trust the Spirit to give us ample opportunities to practice peacemaking (ask me how I know.)

We pray for peace.

We can get on our knees for peace. We can pray regularly for reconciliation - in our homes, our families, our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our workplaces and most especially in our churches. On this earth, we won’t always achieve peace, but we can long for it and regularly petition the Prince of Peace. 

We move toward people.

We don’t have to run away from conflict. We can choose to move toward each other like God moves toward us. When a conflict arises in a relationship or among people in our communities, we can be the first ones to suggest reconciliation. We can resist the urge to avoid it and make genuine and humble apologies, when necessary. We can volunteer to accompany someone who is afraid to face it alone. Reconciliation can start with something as simple as a greeting and a little space for conversation. 

Paul says, “if possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18.) There will be times when we fight hard for peace, but it doesn’t come. Paul encourages us here to focus on the things that we can do to promote peace, and to trust the Spirit of Peace with the rest. 

One day, we will enjoy true shalom in the presence of our Lord. Until then, daughters of God, we can make peace here on earth and help others to do the same. We can face conflict with hope. We can be known as peacemakers, in Jesus’ name.

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Natalie Herr is the founder and team leader of Dayton Women in the Word. She is a servant of God, a wife, a mom of four and a God-sized dreamer. She loves teaching and equipping women with God's Word.

Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.” Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother. They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.” This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. - ‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:11-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It’s name meaning “beauty,” Nain lay not too distant from Nazareth, another little village in the region of Galilee. At the town gate, we meet a widow as she leads the funeral procession for her only son, walking his body outside the bounds of their village to be buried. Our introduction to this nameless woman is made by way of her loss. She has lost her husband, and now her only son. She is a woman known by her sorrow. She is not alone in her grieving, but it has named her in a way unlike any other in that procession. 

I can’t help but wonder if the disciples and crowd accompanying Jesus tried to give a wide berth to the widow and her company, wanting to distance themselves from the grieving. Were they discussing Jesus’ recent healing of the centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1-10)? Or some other event or teaching they had experienced in following Jesus? Regardless, Jesus was not interested in just passing by this widow. 

Where the end seemed inevitable, the outcome decided, hope met the widow unexpectedly; Jesus entered her story.

He went to her, forging a path between the two crowds. He offered her comfort in a simple, tender phrase. Then He touched the bier. Jesus not only saw and acknowledged the widow’s grief, He stopped and tangibly entered into it. The threat of impurity did not impede His compassion nor stall His hand. He was not afraid. His heart moved Him to action, and with a single command the widow’s son spoke, moved, lived! 

In the span of a breath, that which the widow lost was returned. She could remember the past without the twofold weight of heartbreak and dare to look to the future without fear. In resurrecting one life, Jesus restored two. For in those days, a son would take on the role as provider for a widowed mother. Without a husband or a son to care for her, a woman depended entirely on the charity of others as she could inherit no land and had no means of sustaining herself. As a widow, to lose an only son was not just to suffer the loss of a dear child, but the loss of your own life in many ways as well. 

In Luke’s account of this encounter between Jesus and the widow of Nain, the widow is attributed no words of her own. The crowd together marveled and glorified God declaring he “has come to help his people” (vs. 16) after the deceased young man is given life again, but the widow is without an individual voice. She did not call out to Jesus as He approached the town, she did not plead with Him for a miracle, or profess her faith in His power to heal. Jesus came to her aside from any single action on her part. When things seemed darkest for this nameless woman, when she was at her most powerless, that is when He made His way to her. Not because she asked. Not because she believed. But because Jesus saw her and had compassion.

For death cannot swallow our hope nor any grave hide the true, glorious light that is Jesus.

Where the end seemed inevitable, the outcome decided, hope met the widow unexpectedly; Jesus entered her story. 

We meet her in the midst of the unknown, on the cusp of a miracle. We are privy to but a moment, a moment where grace intercedes and the brilliance of God’s kingdom shines through. We get to see the widow’s story in light of not only what was lost, but what was restored at the hands of a merciful Christ. For death cannot swallow our hope nor any grave hide the true, glorious light that is Jesus. 

And it is that True Light that pursues you even now. Jesus seeks to meet us in the midst of the pain we carry today. Whatever it may be, it is not too much for Him. It is not too dark or unclean. He will not turn away from you. He will dare to rest his hand on your sorrow and meet your gaze with hope. He longs to give you life. His life. His resurrection is yours.

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Robin Zastrow wants to live in a world where coffee never gets cold and kindness abounds. When she's not discovering the wonders of construction paper and cardboard tubes with her two little ones, you can find her sneaking in another few pages of a book or jotting down bits of writing on scraps of paper.

One of her favorite Scriptures is:“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22 ESV