Daily Devotion for Lent 2020 - Fourth Sunday in Lent

Scripture Reading: Acts 16:1-15 (NRSV)

Here we have the first appearance in Acts of Timothy who accompanies Paul on his journeys.  It may seem a bit like a double-standard when Luke mentions that Paul had Timothy circumcised.  This comes right after the Council of Jerusalem stated that Gentiles need not be circumcised.  Paul writes a pretty clear statement about it to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 7:17-20:

However that may be, let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.  Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but obeying the commandments of God is everything.  Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called.

It could be that because Timothy's mother was Jewish, other Jewish people they encountered would not be able to hear the message because of their preoccupation with Timothy's status.  Paul does later state in the same letter in 1 Corinthians 9:20:

To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. 

This reminds us of how contextual the gospel message can be.  We have already seen James the son of Zebedee and Stephen killed and so we also recognize that this is a dangerous business.   This is likely why Luke records in verse six that the Holy Spirit forbid them to speak the word in Asia.

They cross into Europe coming to Philippi.  We have Paul's letter to the Philippians in which he includes Timothy in his by-line in the first verse.  While they are there to find a man from a vision, they encounter women down by the river on the sabbath.  Paul seems ready to preach the word as opportunity provides.  Lydia is a business woman who is the head of her household.  Paul and Timothy indulge in her hospitality.

Luke reminds us that women play an important role in the church leadership including financial assistance beginning in the ministry of Jesus.  Luke 8:1-3 records:

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

Brooke Williams and Jana Green at church camp
when in high school in 2002.  They led Bible study
together in their youth group.  Both are in ministry today -
Brooke in lay ministry in Kingfisher and Jana in
ordained ministry in Little Rock.

The fact that Luke lifts up women in multiple places may have been needed at the time for while it would have been more acceptable in some of the Gentile cultures the church was moving into, the Jewish patriarchy would still have been resistant.  Today women in ministry within United Methodism serve in all areas of leadership.  We don't differentiate how the Spirit calls us by gender.  But there are also encounters that our clergy and lay female leaders still have today that are hostile.  We are not yet where we need to be as far as our overall acceptance within our local churches but we have made great strides toward this. 

As you think about your own attitudes concerning female spiritual leadership, do you ever find yourself hesitant or dismissive of women in ministry?  If so, does this align with how the Holy Spirit was moving in the beginnings of the church in tearing down barriers?  And if you don't have issues around God and gender, what female pastor has shaped you that might appreciate a cheerful word of encouragement as she ministers today?

For today's prayer, I really liked this poem by Teresa of Avila and thought we could meditate on it in prayer.

Prayer for the day:

Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

Prayer by Teresa of Avila, 16th Century

All scripture quoted is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.