bible
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Though draped in a robe that signified her status as a royal daughter, someone with special privilege, someone valued by her family, the robe said she was seen as worthy, but it was only a façade. A young woman who was to be valued, cherished, and protected by her family is left desolate and destroyed.…
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In 1 Samuel 25 we are told the account of Nabal, Abigail’s husband refusing to provide David and his army with food even though they had been protecting Nabal’s shepherds and flock while he was in Carmel shearing his sheep. David becomes angry and decides to retaliate. When Abigail finds out what has happened, she…
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Achsah is one of the women in the Bible whose name is given, which is significant. However, her name, like the circumstances surrounding her introduction, pictures her as a powerless bargaining chip in the conquest of the Promised land. “Then from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir (now the name of Debir formerly…
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Tamar carefully removes her widowed clothing and puts on clothing and a veil that will signify to others that she is available for prostitution. She then walks to the entrance to Enaim to wait for her father-in-law, Judah. She is nervous as she waits, but this seems like the only option available for her. She…
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What do we think of when we hear the name Eve? Does Eve’s name invoke a positive or negative image of her? Additionally, how does one’s perception of Eve relate to how one views women in general? Are women to be viewed as the cause of sin entering the world? There is a wide-spread understanding…
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I have always loved fairytales and the promise of a story that despite problems faced would end happily. I think of Cinderella and how we identify with the unfairness of her situation of being forced from a position of “daughter” to that of “servant,” and then how we rejoice when despite all the machinations of…
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When I was a young girl, I remember my Dad telling me that his favorite Christmas song was “The Little Drummer Boy.” I have been thinking about that song for the past few days: what it teaches regarding what we give to God. The song is endearing; a young boy going to see baby Jesus…
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“Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth” (Luke 1:39-40 NRSV). As we reflect this Advent season, we need to ask ourselves if we are living our faith with a sense of urgency. Immediately…
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God is a God who sees. Why is this important to remember? What comfort can we draw from it? To fully understand the importance, we must examine the passage where God is revealed as a God who sees. In Genesis chapters 16 and 21 we have an amazing account of an angel of the Lord…
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“And lo, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:9a-10 NASB). I always loved going to Santa’s Workshop when I was in elementary school.…
Michelle Mosier 