Shiphrah & Puah | with her in resistance
It can feel as if nothing can stand in the way of tyrants and empires. Yet Shiphrah and Puah remind us that God sees the oppression, sees us, and invites us to join the emancipating God—even in small acts of resistance.
Journaling Prompts
Where and how do you see “empire” at work today? Where do you believe God is most present in what you’ve named?
What are the “little bits of good where you are”? How can you show up there as one shaped by the reign of Christ?
Shiphrah and Puah’s resistance was a tremendous act of justice, yet it did not stop the empire’s plans. How does that tension sit with you? How do the larger stories of the Exodus and Jesus help you place this tension in context and speak to your present experience?
Do you struggle to believe that Jesus reigns over all powers, authorities, rulers, and empires? In what ways do you embody this—and fail to embody this—in your daily life?
Practice
Listen
Sit with the claim that Jesus reigns over all powers, authorities, rulers, and empires. Ask Christ to open your eyes and heart to the spaces and opportunities for Christ-like resistance—however seemingly small or significant—in your life right now. Write down what comes to mind, then end with a few moments of prayer
Generosity