INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

This morning (Sunday) at the Saigon Church they celebrated women, since Women's Day was just a few days ago. Every woman, including my wife was handed a flower as she entered. The service featured a woman speaker and a 40 voice women's choir. The choir looked magnificent since each woman was dressed in the traditional "ao dai". There was a wonderful variety of colour and design. The choir also sounded wonderful.
Last Tuesday (Women's Day) our small group spent some time sharing about which women (other than our mothers/grandmothers) had most influenced our lives. Those mentioned were special examples of prayer, leadership, personal support, etc.
Jan and I privately discussed several of the women heroes of the Bible last week. We both affirmed that the risk taking and courage of Rahab always impresses us. She had heard of Israel's escape from Egypt and knew that all of the small city states were afraid of Israel's advancing army. She knew that her home city, Jericho was a target. Yet when the Israeli spies needed a place to hide, Rahab hid them on her roof. She requested a "quid pro quo". She saved their lives, so asked them to make sure her life and her families life was saved when Israel invaded. The spies agreed.
And so it was that while Jericho was destroyed, Rachel saved not only two spies, but saved the lives of her parents, her brothers and other relatives. I suspect that Rachel the prostitute, the family disappointment/embarrassment, suddenly became the family hero.
I wish the Bible told us the rest of the story. How did Rachel the foreigner become the wife of one of the Israelites? You remember don't you, that she is one of the handful of women (and one of only two foreign women) honoured by being listed in the genealogy, through Joseph, of our Lord. Rahab even made it into "Heavens Hall of Fame/Faith" (Hebrews 11).
Kudos to all women, great and average. And thank God especially for all women of faith. I am blessed over my lifetime to have learned from and been ministered to by many great women.