Priscilla: wife, home maker, nomad....

Home... I love the sound of that word and all the warm emotions that it brings to mind, family, friends, food. Having some down time has been something of a real luxury for me over the last month and it's been a real joy to have friends visit with me during the day, serve them a meal or a humble cup of tea and just sit and talk or pray together. Shaun has also loved coming home after school to find afternoon tea, a warm meal or just a warm smile waiting for him. It's the simple things in life, that often get lost in the cracks of our fast paced world, that bring comfort and joy. This time won't last forever but it has given me pause to think about the kind of life I want to create for our next chapter.

This morning I had a couple of beautiful friends visit, we've started making time together for an hour or so on Tuesday mornings to catch up over a cuppa and pray. We were talking about home and that it's not limited to place but that our home is in the Lord and the loved ones he's given us to share this life with. That is what we invite people into, our lives and the peace that we have found in this place we call home.

There is a beautiful couple in the New Testament that I always love reading about, Priscilla and Aquila. Everything about them speaks of the importance of relationships, of hospitality, inviting people into their lives and opening their home to others. We first come across Priscilla and her husband Aquila in Acts 18. Paul meets up with them in the Greek city of Corinth through his work; both the couple and Paul hold trades as tent makers. Priscilla and Aquila have just settled in Corinth after being deported from Rome together with all other Jews by order of Claudius Caesar. We know from the text in Acts that Aquila was a native of Pontus, a region on the Black Sea coastline of modern day northern Turkey.

At some stage Aquila has migrated to Rome, quite a journey but those Hebrews really get around. Jewish people were traditionally nomadic, shepherds and lived in tents so it is no surprise that Aquila was skilled in the trade of tent making. I'd love to know how and where he and Priscilla met but whatever the story, these two were a dynamic duo and you never read about just one of them, they were a team.

Whilst the text is light on the relationship that Paul developed with this couple, its clear that it became a close friendship evidenced by the fact that when Paul departed for Syria after about 18 months in Corinth, he was accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. The couple became instrumental in establishing thriving communities of believers in Corinth, Ephesus and Rome to which when they later returned; and they stayed in touch with Paul over many years. You can find references for this in 1 Corinthians 16:19, 2 Timothy 4:19 and Romans 16:3-5. For those of you who are interested, there is also some debate as to whether Priscilla may be the mystery author of Hebrews. Here is a link for you to follow if that piques your curiosity.

Whether Priscilla and Aquila were followers of Christ when Paul met them in Corinth or accepted the message after meeting Paul, we also do not know. What we know is they welcomed Paul into their lives, worked with him, welcomed and helped new believers like Apollos (a very educated man according to the text) to understand the message of Christ more fully, and held fellowship gatherings in their home. I imagine their way of building relationships and trust with others was a key to the rapport they were able to build with people and the impact they were able to have in their ministry. In pondering them more I wonder that they learned these beautiful relationship skills in the context of their home and their marriage, the life and trust they built with one another which then flowed outward to be a blessing to everyone they encountered.

In writing this post I reflect on the broken relationship between men and women across cultures and the ages. In Eden the first couple not only lost their trust in God, but also in each other and men and women have often been at odds with each other ever since. It's why I believe that domestic violence in our community is not just a social issue that can be dealt with by better policies. The same applies for divorce which is one of the most stressful and heart-breaking times for most people. The word tells us that in marriage two shall become one. One person is torn apart. Until addressed in the spiritual, we will never overcome this tragedy that stems from fear, mistrust and broken identity. I believe that the relationship between men and women can be fully restored by the healing work of the cross. When Shaun and I first met, the spark of romance brought with it the shadow of mistrust that we have had to continue to overcome. At our wedding we read this beautiful verse:

"Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself? Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

For us, Christ is the third strand that has held us together. He has given us a strength and resilience through the cares and concerns that we have faced together. Even now we still sometimes lose sight of, and trust in, one another; but through love, grace, forgiveness, and a fierce commitment to stick together, we always find our way back. I know this new chapter will bring much joy, some new challenges and stressful moments too. Even in preparing our little man's room, I see this warm and inviting space, but am reminded that we are his home and I pray for wisdom, patience and love as we prepare to meet him.

Shalom

Cara

About Caroline:

Caroline is a lawyer, disciple, investor, writer, CrossFit enthusiast and money coach. She lives with husband Shaun and their two sons Thomas and Micah in their Hunchy hideaway in the beautiful mountains of the Sunshine Coast.

Caroline has been studying the Hebrew scriptures for twenty plus years and enjoys helping people unpack and discover for themselves the benefits of covenant relationship with Yeshua as revealed in His Word.

We look forward to connecting with you at One Million Disciples.