December 13
Psalm 89:1-4
1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. 2 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. 3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to my servant David: 4 ‘I will establish your descendants forever and build your throne for all generations.’
Daughters of Hope and Faith
by Karon LeCompte, Ph.D.
Imagine a family journey that lasted a generation.
During my youth, my Mom and Dad would load us all in the car and drive long distances. There was plenty of grumbling, excitement, and "are we there yet?" Every Christmas, we drove to my Dad's or my Mother's family. Christmas and Advent are times of journeys and renewed hope. I can only imagine the Israelites' journey to follow Moses to the Promised Land. It was hard, it took a long, long time, and the Israelites did plenty of grumbling along the way. God was merciful to his people and kept his promises.
In Psalm 89, I am reminded of God's faithfulness to all generations. When Moses was leading the Israelites through the plains of Moab, he took a census of the community to decide how the Israelite families would divide the land. The Israelite Zelophehad died in the desert with no male heirs. Zelophehad's daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah found themselves facing a dire situation. They lost their father and had no inheritance of land to provide food for themselves and no hope for future children. They turned to Moses because they wondered what would be their place in the new land of Canaan.
In unison, Zelophehad's daughters petitioned Moses to give them possession of land among their father's brothers. Moses brought their case before the LORD. The Lord instructed Moses to transfer Zelophehad's inheritance to his daughters in response to their request. Inheritance for women was an unprecedented event in ancient Israel. Just imagine the joy in the hearts of those daughters. God is a faithful and loving God even when it seems that there is no answer to the laws of men and the demands of life.
Our Lord is a God of grace and hope. The daughters of Zelophehad had to overcome a few more challenges regarding marriage and the final fulfillment of their inheritance. They prevailed with the grace of God. May this Advent season remind you of the hope and promise of the love of our Lord through His beloved Son, Jesus.
Learn More About Our Guest Writer
Karon LeCompte, Ph.D.
Karon LeCompte, Ph.D. is an associate professor of Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Social Studies Education. Her research interests include civics education, technology and teacher preparation. She works with teacher education candidates and Texas teachers on civics education and law-related education and teaches classes in elementary social studies methods. Her teaching interests are in social studies education and leadership theory. She has authored or co-authored more than 25 book chapters and articles on topics related to civics education and leadership. She has presented her work at state, national and international conferences.
Dr. LeCompte serves as Co-Principal investigator on $302,000 in grant funds for civics education and research. She is a member of the National Council for the Social Studies and the American Educational Research Association. Dr. LeCompte earned her B.S. in Elementary Education and English and M.A. in Gifted Education from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Austin. Karon and her husband, Randy, are both active members of Trinity Lutheran Church at Badger Ranch.
