The Women: …Who Served
Living the Song
“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” –John 4:23
I think if we are honest with ourselves, we would admit that we can come up with the wrong ideas of what something means, or looks like. For example what does the word serve mean to you?
I was convinced I had a pretty good idea what service entailed. I knew what it looked like, what it involved, and I thought that only certain people were “called” to be “in ministry”. Through looking at the lives of these six women, Anna, Dorcas, Eunice, Lois, Lydia, and Priscilla, I hope we will have our hearts enlightened a little more to what it means to serve.
Do you think of a time of worship as only singing a song of praise or playing an instrument? Of course these are acts of worship. They are ways in which we worship. But worship is really so much more than that. Worship is all our lives being lived as a song. A testimony. We testify who God is with our lives.
So we start with Anna. We see that she is a prophetess. She NEVER left the temple day or night. She prayed and fasted and LIVED there. She loved the presence of God. Anna’s testimony teaches us that worship is being in God’s presence, waiting on Him, through prayer and fasting, listening and communing with God.
Next is Dorcas. Dorcas was a disciple, a follower of Christ. She was well known for doing good and helping out. She sewed clothes for those in need. She was inspired by Jesus, and so the work of her hands, what she did with them, was an act of worship to her maker. Her testimony also tells us that she died and was resurrected back to life. Dorcas teaches us that worship can be done through the work of your hands, and also through trusting our Savior.
In the lives of Eunice and Lois we see their worship in the home. Through the raising of a child to know God. How important is our testimony in the atmosphere of the home! How important is the role of a mother in the lives of her children, and a grandmother to her grandchildren! I must admit this was a struggle for me personally to understand. But God has shown me time and time again of the importance of this kind of worship. He has helped me not to compartmentalize being a mom from worshiping Him. It still is hard at times and I still do tend to separate the two. But His grace always leads me back to this wonderful truth. That I can worship Him through the raising of children.
Lydia was a dealer in expensive textiles. A business woman. She was also very hospitable in opening up her home for Paul and Silas to stay after being released from prison. She was not ashamed to house these prisoners of Christ. In the life of Lydia we see worship through the act of hospitality, and also through the running of a business.
Lastly, we look at the testimony of Priscilla. She was the wife of Aquilla. Priscilla is always mentioned with Aquilla. This speaks volumes of their marriage and how they worshiped God together as one. They were good friends with the apostle Paul and opened their home to him, where he lived for a year and a half. There was also a church that met in their home. So through marriage, friendship,and opening their home for their fellow followers of Christ to come, we see numerous ways in which Priscilla worshiped the King of Kings.
You are the only one with your testimony, with your story. You may be thinking, “Well, I’m not gifted or talented in this way or that. I’m not witty, or smart, or good at speaking. I am not useful”. But you are!
You see it’s not about the one who is called, it’s not even about the calling itself. It is all about the ONE who has called. It’s all about Jesus. Your usefulness in the Kingdom of God has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with the One who fills you.
On the final day I die
I want to hold my head up high
I want to tell you that I tried
To live it like a song
–“Where I Belong” by Switchfoot