Keepers Of The Faith

History makers tend to be rulers and warriors. Populations rise and fall at their command. When we consider Christian history, the same holds true, except the battles are often fought over ideas. Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Wesley made history by changing the way people thought about God.

Focusing on historical women, this devotional book includes a number of powerful rulers and even a few warriors, but we’ve also included the many different types of influence that women have had over the centuries. When Thomas Aquinas was putting church doctrines in order, Mechthild of Magdeburg was describing visions of an unfathomable God. While Henry VIII was consolidating power in England, Teresa of Avila was seeking new ways to be humble before God. And though Martin Luther courageously stood up to a church council, his wife Katharina stood up to him, demanding that he come out of his study once in a while to play with the kids.

We might consider Luther, Calvin, and Wesley as “shapers of the faith,” but there’s also a vast company of Christians we could call “keepers of the faith”—those who practice, model, and teach the way of Christ before their community and the next generation. So we can celebrate the life of, say, Susanna Wesley, who brought up John and Charles (and a dozen other kids) in the faith. Katharina Zell was known for her hospitality as well as her teaching. Anne Bradstreet not only made a home for her family in the world of colonial Massachusetts, but she also wrote poems that revealed the gritty faith involved in doing so. These and countless other women kept the flame of Christianity burning in the hearts of their children and many others.

In today’s world, there are two lies women often fall prey to: (1) that marriage and child rearing are not an important calling; (2) that marriage and child rearing are your only legitimate calling. If you are married and if you have kids, you have a calling to be a good wife and mother, a “keeper of the faith” for the next generation. But there are other ways to keep the faith as well.

What are your callings? Serve the Lord in all the ways he calls you.

Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!

Matthew 25:21