Salome, Mother of the Zebedees

Day 1
Salome: feminine form of "Solomon," means Peace

Salome was a devoted follower of Jesus, whose husband ran a fishing business, she shared the common misconception that the Messiah would drive out the Romans and establish a literal kingdom in Palestine.

Her sorrow: To have stood with other women at the cross, witnessing the death of Jesus of Nazareth.

Her Joy: To have seen an angel at Christ's tomb, who proclaimed the Resurrection.

Matthew 20:20-24
A Mother's Request
20Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
21"What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
22"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered.
23Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Matthew 27:56
56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Mark 15:40-41
40Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

Mark 16:1-2
1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb

Day 2
Mothering

In biblical times, when a man married, he gained another possession. Every wife was under her husband's absolute authority. When a man decided "to marry a wife" the meaning of the phrase was closer to "become the master of a wife." but even though a woman's position in the household was one of subservience to her husband, she was still in a higher position than anyone else in the household.

A woman's principle duty was to produce a family, preferably sons, who could ensure the family's financial future. Mothers generally nursed their youngsters until they were about three years old. During that time, husbands and wives did not usually engage in sexual intercourse, a natural form of birth control that gave the mother time to devote herself to her youngest child.

Mothers had total care of their children, both sons and daughters, until they were about six years old. The children helped their mother with household tasks, and she taught them basic lessons on living in their culture. After six years of age, most boys became the family shepherd or began to spend the day with their father, learning the family business. David, as the youngest son, took care of his family's sheep and goats (1 Samuel 16:11), and Jesus probably spent time with his father Joseph learning his carpentry trade (Mark 6:3). Daughters stayed with their mothers throughout their growing-up years. Mothers taught their daughters spinning and weaving and cooking, as well as how to behave and what to expect in their future roles as wives and mothers.

Gradually the role of mothers came to include activities like those described in Proverbs 31. Throughout Scripture, the role of mothering is given dignity and significance, so much so that God describes his love for us as his children in terms of mothering. "As a mother comforts her child, so will I [the Lord] comfort you" (Isaiah 66:13). Paul describes his car for the Thessalonians as the care of a mother for her children: "We were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children" (1 Thessalonians 2:7).

When you find yourself lost in the chaos and clutter of caring for young children, remember the important part you play in keeping their world safe and happy. When you find yourself buried in the mess and muddle of raising elementary school children, remember how much they rely on you for their security. When you find yourself struggling with the disaster and disarray of raising teenagers, remember how much you them and how much they need you to believe in them. Never forget: If you have children, they are one of your greatest legacies.

Day 3
Matthew 20:20-28
A Mother's Request
Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
"What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

What did James's and John's mother really want? Do you think she was asking only for honor for her sons, or did she want something for herself?

How do you react when you child is honored? How do you react when your child is passed over for some honor? How are you like Salome?

What "cup" is Jesus talking about here? Do you think the disciples answered his question glibly or seriously?

Would it be wise to prevent all suffering in the lives of your children? Why or why not?

How easy or had is it for you to play the role of servant? Define servant leadership. What has to change in your life for you to truly become a servant leader?

Day 4

Lift Your Heart: Many women have heard the message of servant hood and internalized it in unhealthy ways. instead of realizing their inherent dignity as women, they defined their worth primarily in terms of others. Both men and women are called to model themselves on Christ, who was not a person who suffered from low self-esteem. His humility wasn't a cover for a sense of unworthiness. If you have made the mistake of living your life through your husband or children, ask God for the grace to change. Admit you are a human being who needs care, consideration, and replenishment. Ask God to restore balance in your life. But as you go through the process of finding balance, don't eliminate the word "humility" from your vocabulary by embracing a life of selfishness. This week, ask each day for eyes to see another's need. Then ask for grace to serve in a way that truly models the humility of Jesus.

Day 5
Reflect on: Matthew 20:20-28

Praise God: That his Son has shown us the true meaning of greatness.

Offer Thanks: For all the ways, large and small, that God has served you.

Confess: Pride and misguided ambition.

Ask God: For the grace to make the connection that the way down leads to the way up, that is is the humble who will be considered great in the kingdom.

Lord, forgive me for any pride that has crowded you out of my heart. Whenever I am tempted to think or act with selfish ambition, place a check in my spirit. Give me, instead, the courage to be a servant. Make more room in my heart for your love.

Mary, Mother of Jesus

Day 1
Mary, her name may mean "bitterness"

Mary was a virgin from a poor family in an obscure village in Galilee. Her response to Gabriel reveals a young woman of unusual faith and humility. Her unqualified yes to God's plan for her life entailed great personal risk and suffering. She must have endured seasons of confusion, fear, and darkness as the events of her life unfolded. She is honored, not only as the mother of Jesus, but as his first disciple.

Her sorrow: to see the son she loved shamed and tortured, left to die like the worst kind of criminal.

Her Joy: To see her child raised from the dead; to have received the Holy Spirit along with Christ's other disciples.

Key Scriptures: Matthew 1:18-25;2; Luke 1:26-80;2; John 19:25-27

Lift Your Heart: Choose one episode in the life of Mary--her encounter with Gabriel, the birth of her child, the scene with the shepherds, the presentation in the temple, the Magi's visit, the escape to Egypt, her son's agony on the cross, or her presence with the disciples in the Upper Room. Image yourself in her place.What are your struggles, your joys? What thoughts run through your mind? Does anything or anyone take you by surprise? Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your reflections, to help you imagine the sounds, sights, and smells that will bring each scene to life.

Let the Scriptures feed your soul with a deeper understanding of God's intention for your life. Pray for the grace to be like the woman who said: "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said."

Day 2

A cool breeze teased at her skirts as she balanced the jug on her head, making her way toward the well. A stranger, she noticed, was approaching from the opposite direction. Even in the dusky light, his clothes shone, as though bleached bright by the strongest of fuller's soap.
"Greetings" he shouted, "you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
No Nazarene, she was sure, would ever dare greet a maiden like that. But with each step his words grew bolder, not softer, rushing toward her like water plunging over a cliff.
"Do not be afraid, Mary....
you have found favor with God....
you will give birth to a son....
He will be called the Son of the Most High....
the Holy Spirit will come upon you....
Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age."
Wave after wave broke over her as she listened to the angel's words--first confusion and fear, then awe and gratitude, and finally a rush of joy and peace. Her whole being drenched in light. Then she heard words, this time cascading from her lips, not his:
"I am the Lord's servant.
May it be to me as you have said."
Though the angel departed, Mary's peace remained. The Most High had visited the lowliest of his servants and spoken the promise every Jewish women longed to hear: "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
The moon hung like a smile in the night sky as she lifted the brimming buckets and began walking across the fields. As the water swayed and splashed to the rhythm of her movements, she realized that she, too, felt full and satisfied--as though she had just finished a favorite meal. Questions, she knew, would come with the morning. For now, it was enough to look up at the stars and know that God was at work shaping her future.

Heavenly Father, Today I thank you for the beauty of your calling on Mary's life. I also thank you and poor blessings on the women I know who are truly your servant's. Lord, Thank you for the women who change the world because they choose to follow Your will. God bless the women who bring up their children in your ways, bless those that care for orphan's and widows, bless the women that support their husbands, bless the women that feed the hungry and clothe the poor. Bless the women that call me friend, because they are my sisters in Your great Kingdom.

Day 3

Today, I want to share with you from another book. It is one of my favorite descriptions of the birth of Christ from Mary's perspective. Please take the time to read this, it will be well worth your time.

From: Jesus the One and Only by Beth Moore pg. 33-36

Her body lay sapped of strength, her eyes were heavily closed, but her mind refused to give way to rest. She ached for her mother. she wondered if she yet believed her. She heard the laboring breathing of the man sleeping a few feet from her. Only months before he was little more than a stranger to her. She knew only what she had been told and what she could read in occasional shy glances. She had been told he was a good man. Over the last few days, she found out he was far more than a good man. No man, no matter how kind, could have done what he had done. She wondered how long it had been since he'd really rested

A calf, only a few days old, awakened hungry and could not find its mother. The stir awakened the baby who also squirmed to find His mother. Scarcely before she could mover her tender from toward the manger, He began to wail! She scooped Him in her arms, her long hair draping His face, and she quietly slipped out of the gate. She gingerly sat down and leaned against the outside of the stable, propped the baby on her small lap, and taking a strip of linen and tying back her hair, she began to stare into His tiny face. She had not yet seen Him in the light. She had never seen the moon so bright. The night was nearly as light as the day. Only hours old, His chin quivered, not from the cold, but from the sudden exposure of birth. His eyes were shaped like almonds and were as black as the deepest well. She held Him tightly and quietly hummed a song she'd learned as a child. She had been so frightened of this moment, so sure she would not know what to do. She had never held an infant so small, and He was God, wrapped in soft, infant flesh, with bones so fragile she felt like He could break. She had pictured this moment so many times. What would the Son of the Spirit look like? she never expected Him to look so normal, so common. Must have been the part He inherited from His mother. she was so sure she'd feel terribly awkward. so afraid she'd drop Him, the Messiah, and God would be awfully sorry He had given Him to her! Instead, ever fear, every doubt, every inadequacy was momentarily caught up in the indescribable rapture of a mother's affection.

She remembered asking Elizabeth things she dared not ask her father and mother. Once when they were walking together at the end of the day, the wind blew her cousin's robes against her, and like a curious teenager, Mary tried her hardest to catch a good glimpse of Elizabeth's rounded middle. At the time she herself had no physical evidence that God's promise was true. but she had enough faith to ask endless questions. What am I to do when He comes? Her cousin's reply would remain etched upon Mary's heart long after He had saved the world. He will tell you what He needs from you. Beyond what He needs, all He wants is for you to embrace Him and talk to Him.

She looked back into His delicate face and watched Him closely as He seemed to stare deeply into the moonlit sky. Ad she began to talk. "Sweet baby boy. Do You know who Your Daddy is? Do You know why You're here? What do You see when You look out there? Can You see the stars? Do You remember their names? Do You think I'll do OK? Will You love me too?" A tear dropped from her chin to His. He yawned and made such a funny expression she grinned, wiping her face on the yellowed rags she'd draped around Him. the fussing calf had obviously found its mother. Not a sound was coming from inside the stable. The earth stilled. The infant slept. she held the babe next to her face, and for just a moment, all the world was silent to the breath of God.

She closed her eyes and listened, stealing time like a hidden metronome, as high and as wide as she dared to think, but she still could not bin to comprehend. She, a common child of the most humble means who had never read the Scriptures for herself, was embracing the incarnate Word. The fullness of the Godhead rested in her inexperienced arms, sleeping to the rhythm of her heart. This time she hummed a song she did not know, a song being sung by the choir of angels hovering over her head but hidden from her carnal senses. The deafening hallelujahs of the heavenly hosts were silent to mortal ears except through the sounds of a young woman's voice who had unknowingly given human notes to a holy score. The glory of God filled the earth. Heaven hammered a bridge, but one young woman sat completely unaware of all that swelled the atmosphere around her. The tiny baby boy had robbed her hear. "So, this is how it feels to be a mother." she mused

She crept back into the stable, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in the manger. Just down the path, the sun peeked over the roof of an inn full of barren souls who had made Him no room.

Day 4

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The cry pierced her like a sword driven through her chest. The earth shook violently and she fell to her knees, barely able to complete the words of the psalm for the man who hung dead on the cross:

O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent...
but I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads...
Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother's breast.
From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother's womb you have been my God...
they have pierced my hands and my feet.
I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me,
They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
But, you, O Lord, be not far off.
O my Strength, come quickly to help me....
You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness
to people yet unborn--
for he has done it.

By the time Mary opened her eyes, the setting sun had turned the city into a golden land. She smiled, wiping the tears from her winkled face. How true the angel's words had been. No woman from Eve onward had ever been blessed as she, the mother of the Messiah, had been. Yes, the past was alive inside her, but it was the future that filled her with joy. Soon, she would see her son again and this time it would be His hands that would wipe away the last of her tears.

Day 5
"Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." ~Luke 1:28

Reflect on: Luke 1:26-38
Praise God: That nothing is impossible with him.
Offer Thanks: That a woman's body became the dwelling place of divinity.
Confess: Any tendency to devalue yourself as a woman.
Ask God: To make you a woman, like Mary, who brings Jesus into the world by expressing his character, power, forgiveness, and grace.

My soul is full of you, my God, and I cannot hold back my gladness. Everyone who sees me will call me blessed because you have noticed me. You saw my lowliness and my need and filled my emptiness with your presence. Form your likeness in m so that, like Mary, I can bring you into a world that desperately needs your love.

Elizabeth

Day 1
Her name means “God is my Oath”

Her Character: A descendant of Aaron, Elizabeth was woman the Bible calls “upright in the sight of God.” Like very few others, male or female, she is praised for observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations with out blame. She is the first to acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

Her Sorrow: To be barren for most of her life.

Her Joy: To give birth to John, later known as John the Baptist, the Messiah’s forerunner. His name, divinely assigned, means “the Lord is gracious”

Key Scripture: Luke 1:5 - 80 (below, it’s long, but worth reading)

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. 8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. 23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” 29 But when she saw him,she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

The Song of Mary

46 And Mary said:
“ My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
55 As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.” 56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

Birth of John the Baptist

57 Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.

Circumcision of John the Baptist

59 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. 60 His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.” 61 But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. 65 Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zacharias’ Prophecy

67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68 “ Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 “ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.” 80 So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Day 2
Incense
Elizabeth’s husband, Zechariah, had been given a very special, very serious privilege. (most all of us are given a special privilege, it is how we choose to look at it that makes it special) When it was his priestly division’s turn to serve in the temple, he was chosen by lot - which was God’s way of making the choice - to burn incense in the temple. Each morning and evening he took fire from the altar of burnt offering and placed in on the golden altar of incense that stood before the curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. He then poured the dusty incense from a golden urn onto the fire. While Zechariah performed this duty, all the worshipers who were at the temple that day stood outside and prayed. The smoke and aroma of the incense symbolized their prayers rising up to God. The fragrance also served to fumigate air tainted with the odor of the blood of animals killed for the sacrifices.

The earliest historical records about worship include information on the burning of incense. All the nations surrounding Palestine appreciated the sweet smell of incense permeating not only their places of worship but also their homes. The incense Zechariah burned in the temple was made according to a special “recipe” (Exodus 30:34 - 38) of spices and salt that had been ground to a powder. This holy incense could be used only in the temple in worship, never for ordinary, everyday purposes. (Thank God we no longer have to go to the temple and we can go directly to Him through His son Jesus Christ). The prophet Jeremiah Often condemned the Israelites for burning incense to false gods. But he could be even more scathing in his denunciation when they burned incense when their hears weren’t in their worship (Jeremiah 6:20). God made it clear that the mere burning of incense didn’t please him; it was only a symbol. He was looking for hearts that were turned toward him in faithfulness and trust.

Dear God, first I must thank you that I do not have to sacrifice an animal and shed it’s blood in order to worship you or clear my sins. I am in awe that you gave us your son as the ultimate sacrifice. I am so amazed by the history that I can learn from your Word. I pray that every woman that receives this will be willing to notice that there are no coincidences that they belong to this devotional or to your Kingdom. You have chosen us by lot. Help us to carry out your purpose in our lives, showing us our very special, very serious privilege. Help our words to be like incense to you, what we say be a sweet fragrance to all that hear. Most of all, work in our hearts, the area we struggle with when there are broken relationships and hurts. We are thankful you created us after your own likeness, giving us an insight of how deeply you can love us. It is in your Son’s name, Jesus Christ, that we come humbly before you today . Amen.

Day 3

Read Luke 1: 5-25
What important things do these verses tell you about Elizabeth and Zechariah? Do you think the words of verse 6 mean they were perfect? If not, what do these words mean?
Why do you think Zechariah didn’t believe the angel (1:1)? Was he so afraid? Was the announcement so unbelievable? Why do you think he was punished for not believing?
Imagine an angel coming to you with some unexpected and unbelievable announcement. What would your reaction be?
Why would Elizabeth say she was disgraced among her people (1:25)?
Describe how the infertile woman feels today. Is disgrace part of her feelings? If you know someone who is struggling with infertility, how can you be a friend and support to her.
Read Luke 1:39 -45
Do you think the reaction of Elizabeth’s baby to Mary’s arrival was just coincidence? What do you think prompted the baby to “leap” just then (1:41)?
Elizabeth didn’t just smile and offer a quiet prayer when Mary arrived. She “exclaimed” and praised God “in a loud voice” (1:42). What would have to happen for you to exclaim your praise to God in a loud voice?
What is the focus of Elizabeth’s praise in verse 45: what God has done in her life or what God has done in Mary’s life? What does this reveal about Elizabeth?

Day 4 (and 5)

Her Legacy of Prayer
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished - Luke 1:45
Reflect on Luke 1:5 - 80
Praise God that he is the Creator who shapes every child in the womb.
Offer thanks for the gift of children.
Confess any tendency to cheapen the value of human life, including unborn life.
Ask God to restore our appreciation for the miracle of human life.
Lift your heart
A person’s a person, no matter how small! - from Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss.
It is amazing to read about a child leaping inside the womb. I know with 3 children, I could never tire of the movements inside, although uncomfortable at times, it was a constant reminder of the LIFE growing inside of me. A life that God had purposed for me to bring into this world. While he did most all the work, creating my body to form and develop a baby from a single cell into a person. It is even more exciting to share in the joy and anticipation when others are pregnant as well. How exciting it must have been for Mary, probably in her first trimester, and Elizabeth, most likely in her third trimester. One much older than the other, both experiencing the miracle of pregnancy. Here is a reminder of what happens during the development of a child.
18 days - nervous system appears
30 days - most major organ systems begin to form.
4 weeks- heart begins to beat
7 weeks - facial features are visible
8 weeks - all major body structures and organs are present
10 weeks - tiny teeth form in the gums
12 weeks - brain is fully formed and can feel pain.
12 - 14 weeks - may start sucking thumb.
6 months - grasp hands, kick, hear voices and sounds outside womb.

Take a few moments to praise your Creator with beautiful words from Psalm 139
For you created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
You works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
When I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
Were written in your book
Before one of them came to be.

You are Lord and Giver of life. Help me to respect, protect, and nurture it - no matter what color, no matter what age, no matter what gender of human being I encounter.

Rizpah

Day 1

Rizpah:"A hot stone or coal"

Rizpah was Saul's concubine. Mother of Armoni and Mephibosheth. Though a woman with few rights and little power, she displayed great courage and loyalty after the death of her sons. Her only sons were executed and their bodies dishonored because of their father's crime.

Rizpah's Joy: The bodies of her sons were finally given an honorable burial.

2 Samuel 21:1-14
The Gibeonites Avenged
1 During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death."
2 The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) 3 David asked the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? How shall I make amends so that you will bless the LORD's inheritance?"

4 The Gibeonites answered him, "We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death."
"What do you want me to do for you?" David asked.

5 They answered the king, "As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, 6 let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and exposed before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord 's chosen one."
So the king said, "I will give them to you."

7 The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah's daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, [a] whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9 He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed and exposed them on a hill before the LORD. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.

10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night. 11 When David was told what Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done, 12 he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had taken them secretly from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) 13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul's father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

Day 2

Rizpah's story is one of God's pictures that reveals only a tiny glimpse of the power we have to make change around us. Imagine her sorrow. She did not loose only one son but two. A mother torn with grief, lays besides the bodies of her dead boys. Still protecting them from the elements and predators that sought to destroy their remains. It may have been months that passed, as she grieved her lose and hoped for the proper burial of her sons.

Rizpah is a story of perseverance. She was patient, but allowed herself to grieve. King David had to take notice and took action. Her courage and loyalty touched his heart.

Rizpah made the people look at the cost of sin. She had few rights and little power. Rizpah gave meaning to her son's deaths and helped a nation deal with the sins of its leader. Her story is tragic but in her strength she may have spared other mothers in Israel similar grief, if only for a while.

Heavenly Father, Courage is not often a word I associate with being a mother. Today Lord, show me the ways in which I can stand up for my children or children within my reach. Help me learn to not only "mother" them but show them how amazing they are. Give me the strength and courage to protect the children from the predators of this world and give You the glory in their lives. May we be an example to those around us. May the scope of your love not only reach inside our family but to those we can touch around us.

Day 3

2 Samuel 21:10
10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night.

Have you ever undertaken a task that, had you know what was required, would have seemed beyond your ability or strength? What kept you going? What was the result?

2 Samuel 21:11-14
When David was told what Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done, 12 he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had taken them secretly from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) 13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.
14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul's father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

When have you had to have some outside circumstance stimulate you to do what was right? What was the outcome? What would have happened had you done nothing?

How is God's love for you like Rizpah's love for her children?

Day 4

Rizpah: consistency, tenacity, faithfulness, courageous, loving

The list of amazing descriptions of this women could go on for a very long while. Because of these beautiful characteristics in Rizpah, King David noticed and did something. You too were given a list of amazing descriptions by your Creator. Can you make a list of just a few. How will you allow God to use these parts of you to start change?

The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight. ~2 Samuel 22:25

For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. ~Psalm 37:28

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ~Lamentations 3:21-23

Day 5

Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night. ~2 Samuel 21:10~

Praise God for giving mothers the power to love their children so fiercely.

Give Thanks for the way other women have stood by you in times of difficulty.

Confess any tendency to back off rather than confront important moral issues with love and courage.

Ask God to stretch your love beyond your own family circle so that it becomes a force that shapes the world around you.

Lift your Heart: We cannot save all the motherless children, but we can reach out one at a time. Pray about whether you could become a big sister to a young girl in need. Go out of your way to make a neglected child feel welcome in your home. Speak out against the forces in our culture that devalue human life. Lend your voices to hose that clamor for peace in our world. Do what you can where you can. Let your love be fierce and strong. Don't back off.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for the amazing women that have show me protecting, persistent love. I know your own love better because of the way she loved me. Help me to become a spiritual mother to those you bring into my life.