Four Daughters

Daily Reading: Acts 21

Scripture Focus: He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. (Acts 21.9)

Devotional Thought: There are some churches today who prohibit women from preaching. Apparently the church in Caesarea, home of the evangelist Philip, had no such scruples. Philip's daughters 'prophesied' or preached. I admire them. Let's have a little fun and give them names today.

Let's call the first one Obedience. To prophesy, one had to carefully listen to God and courageously proclaim his Word. Prophets were often ignored and scorned, or even persecuted. And those were the male prophets! I can imagine it would have been easy to write off the women preachers. But Obedience did not flinch from her calling.

Let's call the second Confidence. This prophetess had great faith. First of all, she believed in God. But, she also believed in God's ability to work in her and through her no matter what obstacles she faced. Confidence leaned into God and boldly fulfilled her calling.

Let's call the third Persistence. Sailing into the wind of church culture can be hard. It would have been easy for Persistence to give in and give up. But she didn't. She stuck with it. Persistence walked with Obedience and Confidence over the long haul.

Let's call the fourth Forbearance. When we face resistance, we often find ourselves getting angry. Forbearance looked at things differently. She didn't lash out at those who disagreed with her. She understood their fears and remembered that she was sister to them, serving the same Lord.

Are you facing headwinds in your life and calling? Remember Philip's daughters! Oh, and let's not leave the Caesarean church out. Let's call it Acceptance. It realized that in Christ, "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."

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for giving me a purpose in life. When I face difficulties and resistance to my calling, help me to be obedient, confident, persistent, and forbearing. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? 2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. 3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary! 4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their own signs for signs. 5 They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees. 6 And all its carved wood they broke down with hatchets and hammers. 7 They set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground. 8 They said to themselves, "We will utterly subdue them"; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. (Psalms 74:1-8)