A Few Thoughts From Ladies Bible Study

For the last few months, I have had the privilege of leading a Ladies’ Bible Study at my church. When the former leader asked me to consider taking her place because she would be moving out of state, I prayed and soon believed God gave me the green light to say yes. Confidence in my Bible-Study-leading skills did not accompany that belief; however, God reminded me that He never puts a task in front of us without promising to give us the ability to fulfill it as He walks right beside us.

As I gain experience facilitating our weekly Bible Study, I also gain knowledge and insight from the dear ladies who attend each Tuesday morning. We have been studying different names and attributes of God. I want to share a few of the thought-provoking points from our discussions, and I pray it is meaningful to you!

The story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:1-51: David willingly stepped up to fight Goliath, who was brazenly mocking the Israelite soldiers and their God. (Isn’t it surprising and disappointing that absolutely nobody in the army was willing to put themselves out there as David did?)

David’s eyes were not on himself. He did not think he could defeat the giant using his own strength and implementing his own methods. His eyes were not on Goliath either. If he had dwelled on the fact that Goliath was almost 10 feet tall, nearly 400 pounds, and was wearing a coat of armor well over 100 pounds, he would not have had the courage to take on that intimidating giant.

Where were David’s eyes? They were on God – His almighty, all-powerful God who protected him when he fought a bear and a lion. His eyes were on the God he had complete confidence in to help him in this wildly daunting feat.

The story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22:1-14: What did Abraham think when God commanded him to take Isaac to Mt. Moriah? I had never noticed before that in verse 5, Abraham tells the men with them to stay there with the donkey, as he and Isaac were going to worship, and then they would be back. They would both be back. Clearly, he was obedient to God; he had the knife raised above Isaac when God told him to stop. Immediately he saw the ram caught in the thicket, which became the sacrifice instead of his son. He must have had a good feeling that God would somehow give his son back or not have him go through with it, or…something, because he said they would both be back. There is faith in God, and then there is FAITH in God! Abraham had incredible faith and trusted God’s ways, even when they did not make sense in a human way of thinking. 

God provided at the very last second – when things looked the darkest. Again, Abraham had the knife raised in the air, ready to follow the command that God had given him. And at that moment, God said stop. God came through. Again. God provided. Again. And that story is not just for that time and that place. It is a promise of continued providence for all believers.