Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me."
Bills, car trouble, crabby children, illness...it's so easy to get bogged down with the challenges of life. Life is hard. Marriage is hard. Sometimes the "for worse" seems so much more consuming than the "for better".
But God is a God of joy. He is there in our darkest hours, but He is also there when life is good. He loves to send surprises to remind us of His presence and His goodness. Celebrate these times. Laughter is such a blessed gift in a marriage. In the midst of everything else, don't forget joy.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Genesis 20:13
[Abraham said] "And when God had me wander from my father's household, I said to her, 'This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, "He is my brother."'"
Oh, for Pete's sake, Abraham! Did you really not learn your lesson back in chapter 12? Why on earth do you keep doing this to your wife? (Although I have to admit it really surprises me that he's still worried about men hitting on her now, when Sarah is 90 years old. Apparently she was a pretty hot old lady!)
So anyways, here we have the same story, just another king. And we learn that Abraham told Sarah that lying for him would prove her love. Seriously? That old line? "If you really love me..."
I want to be a wife who demonstrates love to her husband. I want my words and actions to reflect that I love and respect him. But first and foremost, my life needs to reflect my obedience to God. God first, my husband second.
Oh, for Pete's sake, Abraham! Did you really not learn your lesson back in chapter 12? Why on earth do you keep doing this to your wife? (Although I have to admit it really surprises me that he's still worried about men hitting on her now, when Sarah is 90 years old. Apparently she was a pretty hot old lady!)
So anyways, here we have the same story, just another king. And we learn that Abraham told Sarah that lying for him would prove her love. Seriously? That old line? "If you really love me..."
I want to be a wife who demonstrates love to her husband. I want my words and actions to reflect that I love and respect him. But first and foremost, my life needs to reflect my obedience to God. God first, my husband second.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Genesis 19:26
But Lot's wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt.
What a wonderful God we serve! He could have left us wallowing in our own sin, living in a world of bad choices and even worse consequences. But instead He offered us grace. He gave us a second chance. He provided a way out.
I love I Corinthians 6:9-11 (wait for it - verse 11 gets really good)
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you WERE. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
It doesn't matter what you were. The point is you were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Don't look back.
What a wonderful God we serve! He could have left us wallowing in our own sin, living in a world of bad choices and even worse consequences. But instead He offered us grace. He gave us a second chance. He provided a way out.
I love I Corinthians 6:9-11 (wait for it - verse 11 gets really good)
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you WERE. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
It doesn't matter what you were. The point is you were washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Don't look back.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Genesis 18:10-15
So Sarah laughed to herself...
Who can blame Sarah for laughing when God said that she would have a son? After all, she was 90 years old. She had given up on that dream many years earlier. Certainly had I been in her sandals, I would have said, "Nice thought, but not gonna happen."
But as God pointed out a few verses later, nothing is too hard for Him. It wasn't about whether or not Sarah was Mom Enough - it was about God being God Enough.
Where do I put my faith? In my own abilities? In my husband's? In our bank account (not likely!)? In the marvels of modern medicine? If my faith is in anyone or anything but God, it is sorely misplaced. God is indeed God Enough, and I should never laugh, doubt, or question what He says He will do.
Who can blame Sarah for laughing when God said that she would have a son? After all, she was 90 years old. She had given up on that dream many years earlier. Certainly had I been in her sandals, I would have said, "Nice thought, but not gonna happen."
But as God pointed out a few verses later, nothing is too hard for Him. It wasn't about whether or not Sarah was Mom Enough - it was about God being God Enough.
Where do I put my faith? In my own abilities? In my husband's? In our bank account (not likely!)? In the marvels of modern medicine? If my faith is in anyone or anything but God, it is sorely misplaced. God is indeed God Enough, and I should never laugh, doubt, or question what He says He will do.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Genesis 16:1-5
Now Sarai...said to Abram, "Go, sleep with my maidservant"...Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering..."
The idea of a concubine may seem outlandish to us, but Sarai's reaction is all too familiar. We women scheme or make plans - not always negative ones - and when they fall through, we turn on our husbands. "It's your fault!"
Just yesterday I neglected to check the refrigerator before I made out my grocery shopping list. Later when I found I didn't have what I needed to make supper, I blamed my husband. "You ate the carrots I needed for the soup!" Yes, he did. But if I had done what I was supposed to do, I wouldn't have been caught shorthanded. And seriously, even if he was entirely at fault, what's the point of casting blame? Things happen. I need to own up to my responsibility and fix the problem rather than point fingers.
The idea of a concubine may seem outlandish to us, but Sarai's reaction is all too familiar. We women scheme or make plans - not always negative ones - and when they fall through, we turn on our husbands. "It's your fault!"
Just yesterday I neglected to check the refrigerator before I made out my grocery shopping list. Later when I found I didn't have what I needed to make supper, I blamed my husband. "You ate the carrots I needed for the soup!" Yes, he did. But if I had done what I was supposed to do, I wouldn't have been caught shorthanded. And seriously, even if he was entirely at fault, what's the point of casting blame? Things happen. I need to own up to my responsibility and fix the problem rather than point fingers.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Genesis 12:13
"...Say you are my sister, for then I will be treated well for your sake..."
When Abram and Sarai move to Egypt, Abram fears his beautiful wife will attract Pharaoh's attention, thus risking Abram's life. So he cooks up a plan that ends up with Sarai in Pharaoh's harem. Very little is said about Sarai's role in Abram's charade. Obviously she went along with it. But did she protest? Would Abram have listened if she did? What were her thoughts, feelings, and fears?
In fact, from the Fall up to this part of the Bible, there's not much said about women. They're listed only in conjunction with their men. How did Eve, the Mother of all Living, raise her children without the support of friends and older women who had already been there, done that? Did Noah's wife have doubts about the ark, or was she as faithful as her husband? Did she pick up a hammer and work alongside her husband? Was she in charge of feeding the lions? What about the Tower of Babel? Were those women as wrongfully ambitious as their spouses? We don't know. But I would venture to guess that, as elsewhere in the Bible and throughout history, God rewards the faithful and punishes the unjust.
So now we come to Sarai. She had already followed her husband when he left their homeland to trek into the unknown. But in this story, he's not asking her to pack up and move. He's telling her to lie and make nice with Pharaoh - all so that Abram's life will be spared (no mention of whether or not this would benefit Sarai - I'm thinking that wasn't Abram's chief concern).
What's a wife to do when her husband's leadership would cause her to sin? Sarai's life was probably about to be compromised either way - if Pharaoh wanted her, he'd take her. Maybe that's the reasoning Abram used on her. So if God says the man is the head of the house, and women are to submit, does that mean we are to always blindly obey?
No. Our submission must always be to God first. We are to trust God and be obedient to Him. And if we are in a situation - as Sarai likely was - where we do not have the option of defying our husband's wishes, we should cry out to God for help. He hears, and He will answer.
When Abram and Sarai move to Egypt, Abram fears his beautiful wife will attract Pharaoh's attention, thus risking Abram's life. So he cooks up a plan that ends up with Sarai in Pharaoh's harem. Very little is said about Sarai's role in Abram's charade. Obviously she went along with it. But did she protest? Would Abram have listened if she did? What were her thoughts, feelings, and fears?
In fact, from the Fall up to this part of the Bible, there's not much said about women. They're listed only in conjunction with their men. How did Eve, the Mother of all Living, raise her children without the support of friends and older women who had already been there, done that? Did Noah's wife have doubts about the ark, or was she as faithful as her husband? Did she pick up a hammer and work alongside her husband? Was she in charge of feeding the lions? What about the Tower of Babel? Were those women as wrongfully ambitious as their spouses? We don't know. But I would venture to guess that, as elsewhere in the Bible and throughout history, God rewards the faithful and punishes the unjust.
So now we come to Sarai. She had already followed her husband when he left their homeland to trek into the unknown. But in this story, he's not asking her to pack up and move. He's telling her to lie and make nice with Pharaoh - all so that Abram's life will be spared (no mention of whether or not this would benefit Sarai - I'm thinking that wasn't Abram's chief concern).
What's a wife to do when her husband's leadership would cause her to sin? Sarai's life was probably about to be compromised either way - if Pharaoh wanted her, he'd take her. Maybe that's the reasoning Abram used on her. So if God says the man is the head of the house, and women are to submit, does that mean we are to always blindly obey?
No. Our submission must always be to God first. We are to trust God and be obedient to Him. And if we are in a situation - as Sarai likely was - where we do not have the option of defying our husband's wishes, we should cry out to God for help. He hears, and He will answer.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Genesis 3:17a
To Adam He said, "Because you listened to your wife..."
Ouch. God is not saying woman should not have a voice. Proverbs 31:26 says, "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." God gave us wisdom. He gave us minds with which to think and reason with which to discern. We are not to be an altogether silent partner.
But Eve wasn't speaking with wisdom. Her words led her husband into sin. Adam should have stood firm and rejected what his wife had to say. And Eve should have backed off and respected what Adam had to say.
How often do I do that? How often are my words full of foolishness and sin? I should not be the little devil on my husband's shoulder saying "Oh, come on, it's not that big a deal. Let's just do this one thing, this one time..." If I want my voice and my feelings to be heard, I need to make sure that I'm speaking with wisdom. I need to seek God's will and choose words that will bring my family closer to God, rather than farther away from Him.
Ouch. God is not saying woman should not have a voice. Proverbs 31:26 says, "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." God gave us wisdom. He gave us minds with which to think and reason with which to discern. We are not to be an altogether silent partner.
But Eve wasn't speaking with wisdom. Her words led her husband into sin. Adam should have stood firm and rejected what his wife had to say. And Eve should have backed off and respected what Adam had to say.
How often do I do that? How often are my words full of foolishness and sin? I should not be the little devil on my husband's shoulder saying "Oh, come on, it's not that big a deal. Let's just do this one thing, this one time..." If I want my voice and my feelings to be heard, I need to make sure that I'm speaking with wisdom. I need to seek God's will and choose words that will bring my family closer to God, rather than farther away from Him.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Genesis 3:16
"...Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you."
Oh, Eve, what did you do? I probably shouldn't be so hard on you, because if you hadn't been the one to eat the fruit, I no doubt would have. But it's sad to think of what marriage would have been like if sin hadn't messed it up. And while all I've ever known is marriage, however good, tainted by sin, poor Eve actually knew what a perfect marriage was like - and then she lost it.
Were we created to be equal partners? I don't know. I know man and woman were given different areas of strength and giftedness, and were designed to complement each other. But was man originally intended to be the head of the household? I'm going to just take a guess and say yes. Marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church. So with that in mind, I tend to think Adam was meant to lead his family. The curse refers to woman's feelings about man's headship.
This part of the curse is different from the others. Pain in childbirth and difficulty in providing for a family are circumstances outside of our control. But a woman's desire for her husband's role is a heart issue. It seems to me that this is a part we could, and should, be able to manage (with God's help).
But we don't. We try to be better, smarter, faster, stronger. We nag and manipulate to get our way. When we do "let" him make the decisions, we're quick to say "I told you so" if things don't work out. We play all the games women are so great at playing, in an attempt to get the upper hand. Should the man be a controlling dictator? No, and there are other places in the Bible that support this (Ephesians 5, for example). Marriage should be a partnership. There should be mutual love and respect. But we women are quick to gloss over the fact that God placed man as head of the household and told woman to submit. In a godly marriage, that is how it should be.
Oh, Eve, what did you do? I probably shouldn't be so hard on you, because if you hadn't been the one to eat the fruit, I no doubt would have. But it's sad to think of what marriage would have been like if sin hadn't messed it up. And while all I've ever known is marriage, however good, tainted by sin, poor Eve actually knew what a perfect marriage was like - and then she lost it.
Were we created to be equal partners? I don't know. I know man and woman were given different areas of strength and giftedness, and were designed to complement each other. But was man originally intended to be the head of the household? I'm going to just take a guess and say yes. Marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church. So with that in mind, I tend to think Adam was meant to lead his family. The curse refers to woman's feelings about man's headship.
This part of the curse is different from the others. Pain in childbirth and difficulty in providing for a family are circumstances outside of our control. But a woman's desire for her husband's role is a heart issue. It seems to me that this is a part we could, and should, be able to manage (with God's help).
But we don't. We try to be better, smarter, faster, stronger. We nag and manipulate to get our way. When we do "let" him make the decisions, we're quick to say "I told you so" if things don't work out. We play all the games women are so great at playing, in an attempt to get the upper hand. Should the man be a controlling dictator? No, and there are other places in the Bible that support this (Ephesians 5, for example). Marriage should be a partnership. There should be mutual love and respect. But we women are quick to gloss over the fact that God placed man as head of the household and told woman to submit. In a godly marriage, that is how it should be.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Genesis 3:1-6
...She also gave some to her husband, who was with her...
It's easy to look at Eve and think "Boy, she really blew it!" But time and again I make the same mistakes. Breaking it down, I see three things - aside from the obvious - that she did wrong.
1) She didn't cling to what she knew about God. She knew what He had said, but not well enough to know when His words were twisted. And she didn't hold to His words, believing that they were absolute truth. I need to remain deep in His Word, so that I can stand firmly against Satan's lies.
2) She turned to her husband about five minutes too late. It's really sad to read the words "her husband, who was with her". He was right there! When Satan made Eve doubt God's word, she should have turned to Adam and asked for help. Why do we think we have to deal with temptation alone? Go back to Genesis 2:17-18. Part of the reason we were created was to help each other resist temptation. I need to admit my weaknesses to my husband and ask him to call me on it when he sees me stumble. We're in this together, and we need each other. If only Adam and Eve had worked together, and called on God to help them resist the temptation.
3) After she sinned, she dragged her husband down with her. Yes, it was Adam's choice whether or not to follow, but wasn't it bad enough that Eve disobeyed God? Why did she then offer the temptation to her husband? And yet we do that - a husband asks his wife to watch porn with him, a wife asks her husband to lie for her, spouses agree to 'embellish' a little on an insurance claim. We are here to help our husbands follow after God, not to trip them up with our failures.
It's easy to look at Eve and think "Boy, she really blew it!" But time and again I make the same mistakes. Breaking it down, I see three things - aside from the obvious - that she did wrong.
1) She didn't cling to what she knew about God. She knew what He had said, but not well enough to know when His words were twisted. And she didn't hold to His words, believing that they were absolute truth. I need to remain deep in His Word, so that I can stand firmly against Satan's lies.
2) She turned to her husband about five minutes too late. It's really sad to read the words "her husband, who was with her". He was right there! When Satan made Eve doubt God's word, she should have turned to Adam and asked for help. Why do we think we have to deal with temptation alone? Go back to Genesis 2:17-18. Part of the reason we were created was to help each other resist temptation. I need to admit my weaknesses to my husband and ask him to call me on it when he sees me stumble. We're in this together, and we need each other. If only Adam and Eve had worked together, and called on God to help them resist the temptation.
3) After she sinned, she dragged her husband down with her. Yes, it was Adam's choice whether or not to follow, but wasn't it bad enough that Eve disobeyed God? Why did she then offer the temptation to her husband? And yet we do that - a husband asks his wife to watch porn with him, a wife asks her husband to lie for her, spouses agree to 'embellish' a little on an insurance claim. We are here to help our husbands follow after God, not to trip them up with our failures.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Genesis 2:25
The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
The sexual implication of this verse is obvious. A spouse should be the one person in the world who sees you naked, and that's a beautiful, intimate thing.
But there's another implication in this verse as well. Adam and Eve had nothing to hide - not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Think about it - how amazing would a marriage be if we didn't have to deal with jealousy, anger, selfishness, bitterness, and all the other sins and frustrations that come into every day life; if we could be absolutely real with our spouse, not worrying about what he'd think if he knew what we were really thinking? One of the worst things about trying to hide the real me is that it ends up coming out anyways - in really unattractive ways. How sad that the person I love the most has to see the ugliest side of me.
Marriage should be a place where we can be real with one another, but also a place where that realness can be countered with grace and with accountability to help us become more Christlike. That's what being an ezer is.
The sexual implication of this verse is obvious. A spouse should be the one person in the world who sees you naked, and that's a beautiful, intimate thing.
But there's another implication in this verse as well. Adam and Eve had nothing to hide - not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Think about it - how amazing would a marriage be if we didn't have to deal with jealousy, anger, selfishness, bitterness, and all the other sins and frustrations that come into every day life; if we could be absolutely real with our spouse, not worrying about what he'd think if he knew what we were really thinking? One of the worst things about trying to hide the real me is that it ends up coming out anyways - in really unattractive ways. How sad that the person I love the most has to see the ugliest side of me.
Marriage should be a place where we can be real with one another, but also a place where that realness can be countered with grace and with accountability to help us become more Christlike. That's what being an ezer is.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Genesis 2:24
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
The Hebrew word used here for "one" is echad. It's the same word used in Deuteronomy 6:4, where it says, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one." I like considering the two passages together, because when it refers to God, it is referring to the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three, and yet one.
In marriage, it is two who are one. Becoming one does not take away the identity of each individual. Husband and wife are each uniquely gifted. Marriage unifies the two. The verb that shares the root of echad is achad, and it means "to unify". It means taking unique, separate individuals, and bringing them together, to compliment and strengthen one another.
What unique strengths am I bringing to our marriage? Am I building up my husband's unique qualities? How can our gifts compliment each other so that rather than pulling in separate directions, we are truly one?
The Hebrew word used here for "one" is echad. It's the same word used in Deuteronomy 6:4, where it says, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one." I like considering the two passages together, because when it refers to God, it is referring to the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Three, and yet one.
In marriage, it is two who are one. Becoming one does not take away the identity of each individual. Husband and wife are each uniquely gifted. Marriage unifies the two. The verb that shares the root of echad is achad, and it means "to unify". It means taking unique, separate individuals, and bringing them together, to compliment and strengthen one another.
What unique strengths am I bringing to our marriage? Am I building up my husband's unique qualities? How can our gifts compliment each other so that rather than pulling in separate directions, we are truly one?
Friday, May 11, 2012
Ezer
I've been thinking about what it looks like, practically, to be my husband's ezer. Finding the definition is a good start, but how do I put it into practice? Here are a few things I've come up with -
Work
- Thank him for the work he does and the way he provides for our family.
- Don't complain that the money he makes isn't enough, but be a faithful steward of what is provided.
- Encourage him by telling him how great he is at his job.
- Encourage him to do his work with integrity, even when it's difficult.
- Listen to his dreams when he talks about doing something else.
Family
- Don't ever talk negatively about him in front of the children. If we have a disagreement regarding a parenting issue, settle it in private.
- Let the children see how much I appreciate him; let them hear my words of encouragement.
- Take notice when he goes out of his way to do something special with or for the kids.
- Don't throw the children (and all the problems of the day) at him as soon as he comes in the door. Give him a chance to unwind from his long day, too.
- Show respect for his family; make them a part of my own and treat them as such.
Home
- Work together on money issues; don't let them be divisive.
- Do what I can to make our home a place to relax; if I need help with something, ask instead of nagging.
- Before I get frustrated over something he did or didn't do, consider: is it something he said he would do, or am I projecting my expectations onto him without clearly communicating my needs, and then getting mad when I'm disappointed?
Other people
- Encourage him to spend time with brothers in Christ, knowing how important that is to his spiritual growth.
- Never talk down about him, even jokingly, with others. Build him up and let others see the respect I have for him.
Temptation
- If I know that he's struggling with something, help him fight it. Don't let him drown on his own.
- Help him avoid stumbling blocks.
- Remember that I, too, am a sinner. Forgive him when he falls.
- Don't bring up past hurts. Remember that God's grace has already covered them.
Faith
- Encourage involvement in the church.
- Pray and read the Bible with him.
- If he's not leading, don't take his place. However, when possible, draw him into spiritual discussions ("What do you think this verse means?" "What did you think of the sermon today?") and share prayer requests with him.
- Pray for him, every day, for all of these things.
Work
- Thank him for the work he does and the way he provides for our family.
- Don't complain that the money he makes isn't enough, but be a faithful steward of what is provided.
- Encourage him by telling him how great he is at his job.
- Encourage him to do his work with integrity, even when it's difficult.
- Listen to his dreams when he talks about doing something else.
Family
- Don't ever talk negatively about him in front of the children. If we have a disagreement regarding a parenting issue, settle it in private.
- Let the children see how much I appreciate him; let them hear my words of encouragement.
- Take notice when he goes out of his way to do something special with or for the kids.
- Don't throw the children (and all the problems of the day) at him as soon as he comes in the door. Give him a chance to unwind from his long day, too.
- Show respect for his family; make them a part of my own and treat them as such.
Home
- Work together on money issues; don't let them be divisive.
- Do what I can to make our home a place to relax; if I need help with something, ask instead of nagging.
- Before I get frustrated over something he did or didn't do, consider: is it something he said he would do, or am I projecting my expectations onto him without clearly communicating my needs, and then getting mad when I'm disappointed?
Other people
- Encourage him to spend time with brothers in Christ, knowing how important that is to his spiritual growth.
- Never talk down about him, even jokingly, with others. Build him up and let others see the respect I have for him.
Temptation
- If I know that he's struggling with something, help him fight it. Don't let him drown on his own.
- Help him avoid stumbling blocks.
- Remember that I, too, am a sinner. Forgive him when he falls.
- Don't bring up past hurts. Remember that God's grace has already covered them.
Faith
- Encourage involvement in the church.
- Pray and read the Bible with him.
- If he's not leading, don't take his place. However, when possible, draw him into spiritual discussions ("What do you think this verse means?" "What did you think of the sermon today?") and share prayer requests with him.
- Pray for him, every day, for all of these things.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Genesis 2:18
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
This has been my favorite since doing an in-depth study on the word "helper" a few years ago.
We have so maligned this word, but when you go back to the original, it's amazing. The Hebrew word used here for "helper" is ezer. It's found about two dozen other places in the Old Testament, most of the times referring to God, and frequently in a military-type context. Look at Deuteronomy 33, for example:
Hear, O Lord, the cry of Judah...With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes! (v. 7)
There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides on the heavens to help you... (v. 26)
He is your shield and helper, and your glorious sword (v. 33)
Want more examples? Try Exodus 18:4, Deuteronomy 32:8, II Chronicles 32:8, Psalm 20:2, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 37:40, Psalm 70:5, Psalm 109:26, Psalm 115:9-11, Psalm 121:1-2, and Isaiah 41:10.
Pretty exciting. Woman was not intended to be man's doormat. She was created to fight alongside him, to strengthen and encourage him, to support him and be his biggest cheerleader and greatest ally.
And when we look at the context, it's interesting. God placed man in the garden. He also put the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil there. And right after warning Adam about the Tree, He said, "It is not good for man to be alone." It's like God was saying, "There's temptation out there. Life isn't easy. I don't want man to have to go it alone." And His solution was woman.
Am I my husband's ezer? I should be standing by his side, supporting him, fighting with him. Or am I hindering him with my complaining, by neglecting his needs, by not stopping to consider his thoughts, feelings, and values? It's a tough world, and I can either fight with my husband or against him. I choose to be his ezer.
This has been my favorite since doing an in-depth study on the word "helper" a few years ago.
We have so maligned this word, but when you go back to the original, it's amazing. The Hebrew word used here for "helper" is ezer. It's found about two dozen other places in the Old Testament, most of the times referring to God, and frequently in a military-type context. Look at Deuteronomy 33, for example:
Hear, O Lord, the cry of Judah...With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes! (v. 7)
There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides on the heavens to help you... (v. 26)
He is your shield and helper, and your glorious sword (v. 33)
Want more examples? Try Exodus 18:4, Deuteronomy 32:8, II Chronicles 32:8, Psalm 20:2, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 37:40, Psalm 70:5, Psalm 109:26, Psalm 115:9-11, Psalm 121:1-2, and Isaiah 41:10.
Pretty exciting. Woman was not intended to be man's doormat. She was created to fight alongside him, to strengthen and encourage him, to support him and be his biggest cheerleader and greatest ally.
And when we look at the context, it's interesting. God placed man in the garden. He also put the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil there. And right after warning Adam about the Tree, He said, "It is not good for man to be alone." It's like God was saying, "There's temptation out there. Life isn't easy. I don't want man to have to go it alone." And His solution was woman.
Am I my husband's ezer? I should be standing by his side, supporting him, fighting with him. Or am I hindering him with my complaining, by neglecting his needs, by not stopping to consider his thoughts, feelings, and values? It's a tough world, and I can either fight with my husband or against him. I choose to be his ezer.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Genesis 1:28-30
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground...I give you every seed-bearing plant...they will be yours for food..."
God is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. He supplies all our needs. And here is a command to be good stewards of what He has blessed us with.
God has blessed my home with much. I need to remember that and not fuss and fret over what we do not have. I also need to be resourceful and not waste that which has been given to us. How can I best use the things we have? What do we have that can be shared with others?
God is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. He supplies all our needs. And here is a command to be good stewards of what He has blessed us with.
God has blessed my home with much. I need to remember that and not fuss and fret over what we do not have. I also need to be resourceful and not waste that which has been given to us. How can I best use the things we have? What do we have that can be shared with others?
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Genesis 1:26a
Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness..."
Continuing on in the verse, it's clear that "man" here refers to all of mankind, not just Adam. So here it is, first mention of who we are (or who we were meant to be). We were created in God's image.
I think that's important to remember. First and foremost, we should strive to be Christlike. There is no way I can honor my husband the way God wants me to if I am not following in the footsteps of Christ. Wow. That's a mighty tall order. So, so thankful I don't have to do this alone. He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it.
Continuing on in the verse, it's clear that "man" here refers to all of mankind, not just Adam. So here it is, first mention of who we are (or who we were meant to be). We were created in God's image.
I think that's important to remember. First and foremost, we should strive to be Christlike. There is no way I can honor my husband the way God wants me to if I am not following in the footsteps of Christ. Wow. That's a mighty tall order. So, so thankful I don't have to do this alone. He who began a good work in us will be faithful to complete it.
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