Women's Work

by J. Miller | Category: Voices From The Past - Extracted From Jottings | Aug 1979

"And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the serving women which served at the door of the tent of meeting". Why should it be the serving women only whose mirrors made the laver? Was it because of the fact that they offered themselves to serve the Lord in connexion with His house that they had this peculiar privilege of providing the brass for the laver? or was it because of their higher appreciation of God's grace to them that they gathered themselves to serve, and seeking a greater glory than their own - the glory of the Lord - and being taken up with the beauty of the Lord, they found that they could dispense with their beautifully polished brazen mirrors? The latter may be the real reason. Such an act of consecration was that which provided the brass for the vessel which contained the water to keep the consecrated priests clean in their service for God at the altar and in the sanctuary. May not the consecration of the women still have a powerful effect in keeping men, in their service for God, in a state befitting that service? Men cannot get on without women, nor women without men in God's service. Both have their part to play (see 1 Cor. 11:11).

How much those "certain women" helped in the work in the days of the Lord's ministry on earth remains to be unveiled! (Luke 8:1-3). In that wonderful company we read concerning the Lord that He went about through cities and villages, preaching ... and with Him the twelve, and certain women... which ministered unto them of their substance". Some of them were women who had been rescued by the Lord's power from evil spirits and others from infirmities, and these in appreciation of God's grace consecrated, or filled their hands with, their substance for the Lord's use. What an impetus they were to the Lord's work! What encouragement there was to the Lord and His little band of followers in that beautiful service of love which those ~certain women " rendered!

Nor was this all. In those days of wonderful prayer preceding the descent of the Holy Spirit we read: These all with one accord continued stedfastly in prayer, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus". Praying women, how much has been accomplished through them! Can the work of God go on without prayer? No! emphatically, No! Then let the men pray always and in every place, and let the women, too, be present, and perchance our prayer in the Spirit may lead to days of real revival. Is anything too hard for the Lord?

J. Miller | Aug 1979
Voices From The Past - Extracted From Jottings