Faces of Grace: Mary
Mary was a young teen living in the town of Nazareth, in the hills of Galilee. She came from an impoverished but honorable family. Her family was descendants of Israel’s King David. She was trained in the Scriptures and knew that God had promised to send the Messiah, who would rescue the people of Israel and become their king.
Every Jewish girl dreamed of being the mother of the Messiah. Mary loved God and wanted to serve him with all of her heart, but she was just a young girl from a humble family, with no great expectations that her life was going to be any different from her mother’s or from that of the other women in her town.
Faces of Grace: Miriam
In the Bible, we are first introduced to Miriam in her role as a protective sister. Miriam’s childhood in the slave quarters of Egypt was one of fear and uncertainty. She and her three-year-old brother, Aaron, had parents who trusted in the God of Israel. Pharaoh was the ruler of Egypt. It came to his attention that a large number of Hebrew males were being born. He feared that one day the Hebrews would grow to be stronger than the Egyptians. so he sent out a decree that all newborn Hebrew males would be thrown to their deaths in the Nile River. Miriam's mother was pregnant when this new decree was communicated to the Hebrews.
Faces of Grace: Rahab
For 40 long and rigorous years, Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness. God delivered them from Egypt, helped them cross the Red Sea on dry ground, and defeated the enemies who tried to thwart their path to Canaan.Around 1400 B.C., the Israelites were about to enter the land promised to them by God. God appointed Joshua as the new leader of Israel. Before the Israelites entered Canaan, Joshua sent two spies to the land just west of the Jordan River, telling them to pay special attention to the formidable city of Jericho.The spies soon reached Jericho, a bustling, fortified city strategically situated in the plains of the Jordan valley. They blended in with the busy pedestrians outside the great city walls. Jericho’s massive fortifications were visibly impressive.
Faces of Grace: Rebekah
A look back to set the story of Rebekah.Her faith made Sarah able to have a child. Although she was past her childbearing years, she knew that God had made her promises that He would honor. There was no natural way she could possibly conceive a child at her age.Abraham exclaimed, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” (Genesis 17:17)She did — and named him Isaac, which means “laughter.
Faces of Grace: Rachel
This story is a continuation of last week's devotion about Leah, except today's devotion, is from the younger sister, Rachel's perspective. At the beginning of the story…Every afternoon, this young woman watered her flock of sheep at a well near Haran, an outpost of the ancient city of Ur. It is thought she was around 18 years old. At such an age, a girl might be given adult responsibility in a family that did not have sons.Wells were covered with a broad flat stone, too large for one man to move. So the shepherds who gathered there waited until there was a group to move it.
Faces of Grace: Leah
Jacob deceived his father Issac into giving him his brother, Esau's birthright. Having learned of Jacobs's deception, Esau plotted to kill him upon the death of his father. His mother, Rebekah, having heard of Esau's plan, encouraged Jacob to flee to the land of her brother, Laban.Nearing his destination, he becomes distracted by the sight of an approaching girl. She is coming to the well to draw water for the sheep.
Faces of Grace: Esther
Esther's story reminds us that God can bring about new life, redemption, and freedom for you, even when it seems an impossible feat.