Hebrews 11b: The hall of fame for women

Welcome to a special reflection on the incredible women who have shaped their world. Just as Hebrews 11 honors heroes of faith, this space is dedicated to the women who have left an enduring impact on their world 

1. Now faith is not only the confidence reposed in God for tomorrow, but it is also the courage to obey Him in the present despite prevailing circumstances. Though the Scriptures are replete with stories of the fathers of faith,
2. Woven also into the tapestry of Scripture are the stories of mothers and women who, by faith, raised sons and daughters unto God, preserved families, shaped nations, and advanced the purposes and kingdom of God.
3. Whether in desert tents or palaces, whether remembered in the chronicles of men or only mentioned in the Book of Remembrance of God, through joys or sorrows, they stood resolute and unshaken, fixing their gaze upon the Lord and Master.
4. By faith Leah endured the rejection of the man she loved all her life and had children for. Though despised, and though she sought earnestly for a love that was never hers, she never rose above second place and was deemedweak-eyed by men. 
5. Yet in death she had her sepulcher with the man she cherished and whose God she had chosen to be her God; and through her natural and adopted sons, planted in soils watered by tears, the nation of Israel came to be.
6. Shall we speak of Jochebed, who defied Pharaoh, for she feared God more than the decree of kings? She bore her son and hid him for three months. And when she could no longer hide him, she committed him to the God of her fathers to watch over him.
7. And by faith, though the childtarried with her for only a limited time, she taught him to be a partaker of the suffering of his people and never to forget home. That same son, though surrendered for a season, came to be the deliverer of Israel, fortified by the words of an unflinching mother. 
8. Or of Zipporah, the daughter of a Midianite priest, a stranger to the commandments of Jehovah, yet one who paid careful attention to the decrees and edicts of a God not her own, as told by her husband.
9. So that when the wrath of God was kindled against her household, she, with steady hands and uncanny wisdom, circumcised her son, earning a bloody token of covenant.
10. Shall we not reckon Rahab the prostitute, accounted a woman of shame, but who by faith put her trust in an unseen God, whose acts of might she had only heard of? And with foresight she turned away from the safety offered by the walled city of Jericho and chose instead to preserve the lives of the spies.
11. And having a scarlet cord hanging outside her door as a foreshadowing of the purchase of her eternal redemption, dipped in the scarlet blood of the Messiah, a direct descendant of hers, this redemption was not just for her, but also for all her household, as many as believed and were found in her home.
12. Or Ruth, whothough in the throes of pain, having lost the husband of her youth, forsook her people and culture, journeying with her mother-in-law. She set her eyes on a land and a people whose Lord and God is Jehovah, turning neither to the right nor to the left. 
13. And God accounted this for faith, for she put her trust in the living God who rewards those who diligently seek Him.
14. Or Hannah, who by faith believed in the God of the prophet Eli, and who, having not yet seen the son of her prayers, vowed to return him to the Lord.
15. And when she had only just weaned the child, she paid her vow to the Lord. And the hand of the Lord was mighty upon her son, such that her memory is blessed to this day on account of the son she let go.
16. What shall we say of Jephthah's daughter, who though not privy to the vow made by her father to God, considered it no indignity to put aside her dreams and ambitions and walk with courage the path set before her, honoring God and family?
17. Of Mary, who though young, was wise beyond her years, and who in the face of incriminating circumstances was still willing that the word of the Lord prevail in her life. And though a sword pierced her heart, she bears an eternal weight of glory.
18. Of Manoah's wife, who though unnamed, obeyed the instructions of the Lord without wavering and raised a judge for the Lord in Israel.
19. 19.OfLois and Eunice, who by faith instructed Timothy in the Word, counseling him consistently in the way he ought to go despite his youthfulness. And under his guidance, the church flourished and prevailed. 
20. Time shall fail me to tell of the widows who through hardship and famine obeyed God, fed the prophet, and received their dead back to life; or of Mary with the alabaster box, an ointment of great value, all laid at the feet of her Master and Savior.
21. Or of the women who, though unseen and unnamed, as skilled warriors fought as with beasts, laboring in prayer unceasingly, working signs and wonders, enduring loss and hardship, yet trusting in the Lord whois able to save their souls. 
22. Who wrought righteousness that endured through generations, writing upon the hearts of their offspring and shaping their destinies with the finest and most delicate artistry.
23. Considering that we are in the company of such great women, why then do we grow weary in well-doing? For these all obtained a good report through faith. For we reckon that nothing in this life is enough to tear us away from the love of the Master, who has proven Himself faithful and dependable throughout the ages.
24. Let us therefore run with perseverance and grace the race that is set before us, knowing that our labor is not in vain.
25. And if we faint not nor fail, then we also shall, by faith, receive the same reward and an incorruptible crown when we stand blameless before the presence of the Master.

Prayer 

Dear Father, 

Thank You for the women of faith who have gone before us. Teach us to trust You in every season, to serve You with courage, and to leave a legacy that honors Your name. Strengthen mothers, daughters, grandmothers, mentors, and all who nurture others in faith. May we follow their example as they followed You. 

In Jesus' name, Amen.