Monthly Study
March 2023

Seen and Loved

Women of the New Testament

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.—John 15:9

March is Women’s History Month, and we have spent the past three years highlighting women in the Bible. We worked our way through the study of women in the Old Testament, and this month we turn our attention to the New Testament. We will meet women who were called by God to do extraordinary work, women whom Jesus healed and forgave and loved, and women who played an important role in the early church. As we observe these women, it is really Him whom we will better know, follow, and adore. Through this study, I pray you will:

  • See how Jesus intentionally and specifically interacted with people
  • Appreciate the role of women in the ministry of Jesus and the life of the early church
  • Receive the love that Jesus offers to you and live in it

Your devotional author,

Kelli Worrall

Volume 36Edition 3
Managing Editor: Jamie Janosz, Senior Editor: Elena Mafter, Contributing Editor: John Koessler, Writer: Kelli Worrall, Art Director: Lynn Gabalec, Graphic Designer: Rachel Hutcheson, Marketing & Production: Paul B. Currie

About the Author

Kelli Worrall

Kelli Worrall is Professor of Communications and Chair of the Division of Music and Media Arts at Moody Bible Institute.

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Devotional Calendar

Podcasts

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Elizabeth: An Answer to Prayer
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Elizabeth. Mary. The Samaritan Woman. Lydia. Martha. Priscilla. Each of these women encountered Jesus in a personal way. This month, we will look at women of the New Testament, walking with them as they come face to face with Jesus. Their stories will encourage all of us, both men and women, to follow expectantly after Jesus. Today, we begin in Luke chapter 1.
March 1, 2023
Mary: Humble Obedience
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Has God ever called you to do something for which you felt utterly unprepared? That is what happened to Mary when she was visited by the angel Gabriel. Mary was young, and Nazareth was an obscure village (population 400). Her knowledge of life beyond her town was limited, yet she had developed a noble character and a remarkable faith.
March 2, 2023
Mary and Elizabeth: A Needed Mentor
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When I graduated from college, I moved to the Chicago area to begin my grown-up life. Alone in a new city, I looked for a church community that I could call “home.” I craved the guidance of older women and eventually connected with a few who nurtured my faith with their presence and prayers. I was welcomed into their homes, attended Bible studies they taught, and served in ministries which they led. They listened to my dreams and fears. They encouraged my gifts and persistently pointed me to God’s truth.
March 3, 2023
Elizabeth: Courageous Mom
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Our son’s adoption process involved a three-year trek through the foster care system. Our daughter’s journey included a six-year wait on the China Center for Adoption Affairs. But, in God’s providence, both adoptions were finalized the exact same day. Daryl was three years old, and Amelia just seven months when they became Worralls. A few months later, we stood before our church community to dedicate our children to the Lord.
March 4, 2023
Mary: A New Mom
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No first-time parent, no matter how many books they’ve read, will feel fully prepared for all the changes a baby will bring. Many say the trip home from the hospital is marked by nervousness. How will we care for this precious new life?
March 5, 2023
Anna: Faithful Servant
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My mother-in-law, a widow who lives in England, loves Jesus more than anyone else I know. Not long ago, Mum was diagnosed with cancer. Of course, my husband Peter and I were deeply concerned. But Mum? She was excited. “Cancer has given me greater boldness!” she exclaimed on a video call. Then she shared several stories of how she had proclaimed the gospel with more courage than ever before.
March 6, 2023
Mary: Great Distress
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When boys reach adolescence, they feel a growing need to assert their autonomy. As they drive toward independence, their mothers cling to closeness and sometimes the mother-son relationship stretches and shifts.
March 7, 2023
Mary: A Mother's Request
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Several years ago, I studied the biblical record of Mary from beginning to end. I looked at every passage where she is mentioned and traced her path as a woman, mother, and then disciple of her own son. Despite her extraordinary role in God’s redemptive plan, she was also utterly human.
March 8, 2023
Samaritan Woman: Labels and Lies
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We all wear labels—labels related to our relationships, our occupations, our hobbies, our virtues, even our flaws. Some are a source of pride; other we try to shed. What are some of your labels?
March 9, 2023
Peter’s Mother-in-Law: Healed to Serve
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It seems that almost every day we hear of a loved one who has been stricken by illness or disease. Maybe it is even you. Today’s devotional reminds us that God holds all power over our hearts and our bodies. It is always appropriate to turn to Him for healing.
March 10, 2023
Widow of Nain: Don’t Cry
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Have you noticed through this study how much Jesus cared for women? Time and again, He met them personally and changed them profoundly. Luke 7 tells the story of the widow of Nain.
March 11, 2023
Mary: Mothers and Sons
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As a college professor, I’ve witnessed many tearful “good-byes” between parents and their children. Most parents worry when sending their child, even one who is nearing adulthood, into the unknown.
March 12, 2023
Two Daughters: A Total Healing
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One of my favorite writing professors always said, “Sometimes in order to tell one story well, you need to tell two.” Two stories, told side by side, create a deeper meaning than either could convey on its own. In Mark chapter 5, the stories of Jairus’s daughter and a hemorrhaging woman are told as a pair. We are meant to understand them together. But why?
March 13, 2023
Herodias and Salome: A Tragic Request
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In today’s world, the Christian commitment to holiness runs counter to cultural trends. Politicians, pastors, and others who speak up for biblical truth do so knowing that they will face public ridicule. But this is nothing new.
March 14, 2023
The 5,000: Filled Up
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In one week, all four members of our family became sick. As hard as I tried to keep all the balls in the air, several dropped. It’s humbling to realize how fragile and fallible we really are. It is hard to admit we have needs that we can’t meet ourselves. Self-sufficiency is a stubborn and sneaky (dare I say?) sin, a particularly problematic form of pride.
March 15, 2023
Canaanite Woman: A Lost Sheep
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In every country, every nation, and maybe even in your town, there are places most people avoid. The people who live in those communities don’t mingle with the rest of society. These places are often marked by crime and darkness. Yet many churches and ministries move into those areas to shine the light of the gospel.
March 16, 2023
Mary and Martha: The Better Thing
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Often one of our children (ages 11 and 14) still complains that he or she is being treated differently. Someone had to do a chore that the other did not. One of them received more screen time or ice cream or rides in the front seat. Sadly, even grown-ups can play the comparison game.
March 17, 2023
Adulterous Woman: No Longer Condemned
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Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter wore a red “A” for most of her adult life as penance for her sin of adultery. While Hester carried that public condemnation, her lover, the young minister Arthur Dimmesdale, suffered in secrecy and died in shame.
March 18, 2023
Mary and Martha: Hear Me
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Do you long to be heard? From the moment we are born, we want someone to answer our cries and meet our needs. It’s a fundamental human desire that we see Jesus meet again and again.
March 19, 2023
The Widow’s Mite: Giving All
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In his epistle, James warns us about playing favorites. If a wealthy person comes to church with gold rings and fancy attire, we should not give that person preferential treatment over someone in shabby clothes. “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5).
March 20, 2023
Woman with Oil: Extravagant Love
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We perceive the world through the five senses that God has given us. And worship, as God ordained it in both the Old and New Testaments, was a multi-sensory experience. Consider the Lord’s Supper, baptism, sacrifices, and feasts. Maybe our modern worship services could benefit by giving us more to see and touch and even smell.
March 21, 2023
Mary: Final Act of Love
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Mary is standing at the foot of the cross. We can only imagine how her mother’s heart suffered to see Jesus beaten severely and bleeding profusely. He was forced to carry His own crossbeam until Roman soldiers seized Simon of Cyrene and ordered him to help. The destination was “Calvary,” on a public roadway near Jerusalem.
March 22, 2023
Mary Magdalene: Seeking Her Savior
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Very early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and other women returned to the garden to complete the burial. On Friday, after Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had placed His body in a tomb. By Jewish custom, the body should be buried by sundown.
March 23, 2023
Mary: Mother and Disciple
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Mary was not only the mother of Jesus, she was His disciple. In the book of Acts, Luke continues the story of Jesus. During Jesus’ 40 resurrected days on earth, He appeared to the apostles and gave them many “convincing proofs that He was alive” (v. 3). The accuracy of this evidence mattered to Luke.
March 24, 2023
Sapphira: Deadly Lies
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Are you a truth-teller? We all like to think of ourselves as honest, but sometimes it is difficult to speak truth to others, to ourselves, and even to God. Today’s reading provides a shocking caution against telling lies.
March 25, 2023
Tabitha: Doing Good
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Did you know that Random Acts of Kindness Day is February 17? The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation provides ideas on how to make kindness the norm in society. If such an organization were present in Tabitha’s day, she might have been a founding member!
March 26, 2023
Lois and Eunice: Godly Parenting
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What role do grandparents play in a child’s life? Often, they are known for spoiling their grandkids. But they can play a key role. Through prayer, words, and example, they can pass on their faith to the next generation. In
March 27, 2023
Lydia: Open Heart and Home
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People with the gift of hospitality know how to make others feel welcome, comfortable, and special. They create beautiful gathering spaces. They plan, prepare, and serve delicious food. But most of all, they know how to make people feel welcome and loved.
March 28, 2023
The Slave Girl: Opposing the Gospel
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Wherever we preach the gospel, we should not be surprised to encounter opposition—whether on the foreign mission field or in our own hometown. Jesus Himself faced hostility. And, as we see in the book of Acts, so did Paul.
March 29, 2023
Priscilla and Aquila: Partners in Ministry
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In December 1999, my husband and I honeymooned in Athens and took a day trip over to Corinth. We even drove up to the ruins of the Acrocorinth with ancient columns from the Temple of Aphrodite.
March 30, 2023
Euodia and Syntyche: Better Together
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One of my roles at Moody Bible Institute is to advise the student Literary Practicum Team. This group of ten students work together to produce two major publications. At the beginning of every year, I tell them that I am just as interested in their teamwork as I am in their creations. And, while there are always bumps along the way, it is always rewarding when they present the two books knowing they did together what not one of them could have done independently.
March 31, 2023