Today I was reading in my study bible about the Kingdom of God and I looked at the side notes and it said something very interesting. "The kingdom of God is not for those who seldom pray or who compromise with the world, neglect the Word and have little spiritual hunger. It is for women like Deborah, Ruth, Esther, Mary, Anna, and Lydia." I'm familiar with some of these women but I decided to go ahead and study each of their stories individually. As I began to read each of their stories in the bible God placed these three words on my heart. Eagerness, Dedication and Offering. In each of these women lives there was an eagerness, dedication, and offering to and for God. They were all eager to have God's will be done, dedicated to Him and anything He gave for them to do, and offered there lives and worship to Him. Deborah was a prophetess, and judge of Israel (Judges 4:4). She was dedicated to judging and leading these people according to God. Her eagerness and authority came from God and He rewarded it. Ruth completely gave her self away to serve Naomi and Boaz, her selflessness and honoring lifestyle was an offering to God. Esther was eager "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." (Esther 4:16) "If I perish, I perish." 'I and my maids will fast as you do." Wow! How I desire to have a eagerness like hers. She completely laid herself down for the benefit of others. She didn't parish, her eagerness and dedication was rewarded greatly by God. Mary, the mother of Jesus "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38). She gave the offering of herself to the service of God. Anna was a prophetess and "she never left the temple but worshiped night and day fasting and praying." (Luke 2:37) Her life was an offering to God. She was dedicated to seeking Him and eager for His presence and Word. Lydia was a "worshiper of God" (Acts 16:14). Her worship gave her an open heart and allowed God to move in her and her families life (she and the members of her household were baptized ~ Acts 16:15). So you see all of these women have something in common. That is there eagerness, dedication, and offering to and for God. These women were seeking after God's will and heart. There lives were His. As I began to understand these things I realize that my life is not my own. Our lives should be full of eagerness, dedication, and offering to God. We should be eager for God's will and presence, dedicated to His word, prayer, and continually offer ourselves in worship, and in life. This isn't something we can accomplish on our own but something that can only take place trough the working of The Holy Spirit in our lives and through encountering the precious and mighty love of Jesus. It is a daily thing not just a one time event. I want to see God's power manifested here, I want to see people healed, changed, miracles taken place, chains broken, evil spirits crushed. I hunger and thirst for Jesus. And here is the encouraging thing for all of us who hunger and thirst for the same things, God has promised that we will be filled "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6) Let these women of God be an example to all of us that eagerness, dedication, and offering that is pure and to God will manifest the kingdom of God here and as we do these things through Christ our lives and others will be greatly changed forever. ~Love Sofia
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