Hey, this is for women only! Men, read at your own risk!

All you women out there...have you ever given much thought to the heart of God for women? In 2001-2002 I took the course, “Five Aspects of Woman” and that study began to change my thinking. I have never believed nor thought that God looked down on woman or that he thought her lesser than man or animals. I had simply not thought about it at all!

Through the years there is one verse that speaks to me about God’s heart for women. It is an obscure verse that probably has never been mentioned in conjunction with this particular topic. It is found in John 20:16 and it says, “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’” EVERY time I read that verse my heart melts and I sigh. Maybe it is because I imagine the tone of voice Jesus used with Mary. Not one of frustration because she didn’t get it or one of impatience because he had places to go and people to shock. But I am positive his tone was one of deep tenderness, deep love, and a deep desire to show her heart that all was well. And she got it with just her name. And I don’t think it was just that fact that he knew her name that clued her in. I think it was the way he said her name.

I don’t want to be fearful of my role. Or uncertain in it. Or, if I am truly honest, I don’t want to continue to fail in it. I feel like maybe I have failed more than I have succeeded but I am not certain. But God has been faithful. He has mentored me, through his word and through women who speak into my life every so often.

There are many verses that – obscure or not – speak about women. Most of the ones in Proverbs show us what a cranky woman looks like and therefore challenge me to change! But God’s heart – God’s design – for women is most clearly seen in Genesis. It is where woman enters, woman fails, and woman is redeemed. 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.’ “And after looking through the animals God had created Adam still felt incomplete. So God created woman. I am a helper-completer. 1 Corinthians 11:7b-9 says, “…. but the woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.” I see New Testament examples of this in Matthew 26:7 when the woman came to Jesus and ministered to him by anointing his head with fragrant perfume. That ministry is part of that helper-completer role she was (and I was and you were) created for. Also in Matthew 27:55. Jesus had women follow him to specifically care for him and meet his needs. What a beautiful picture of “suitable helper!”

There’s a verse that caught my attention as I was studying. Jeremiah 31:22b. The context really refers to the woman being Israel but what caught me was the way she was described and the role she was playing. “The Lord will create a new thing on earth – a woman will surround a man.” I studied that a little more and the idea there in the word “surround” is to embrace or to protect. Woman was created in part to protect the man and to embrace him when the world presses in. I came across an interesting poem that was penned back in 2000. And a part of it describes a woman’s role in the following way:

“From one bone I fashioned you. I chose the bone that protects man’s life. I chose the rib, which protects his heart and lungs and supports him, as you are meant to do. Around this one bone I shaped you. I modeled you. I created you perfectly and beautifully. Your characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate and fragile. You provide protection for the most delicate organ in man, his heart.”

God knew Lanny needed a woman and for reasons I may never get he thought (okay, he knew) I was the woman Lanny needed. Honestly, there is a part of me that sees how I am Lanny’s “protection” or his “rib” so to speak. Lanny has a tender heart and I think that sometimes I do provide the strength he needs.

God did create woman with this amazing strength yet at times this almost unbearable fragility. What I see as stubbornness in myself is most likely strength that is God-given. When I am tempted to walk away and some encourage me to walk away, somewhere deep in me I find the strength to dig in my heels and refuse to walk. That has to be God’s strength in me.

35 years ago God said my name and I was. “Beth” – depending on the Greek or Hebrew it means either “House of God” or “Consecrated to God.” I’ve been thinking about the meaning of my name lately. “Better is one day in your courts; better is one day in your house. Better is one day in your courts than thousand elsewhere.” My name means I am his house. I am his. He called my name and I was set apart. He created me in his image. So that means that the hazel eyes, the dark hair, the nose I don’t really care for, the eyes I have discovered I do like, the feet I like, etc are all created in his likeness. Hmm. I’m still not sure how that makes me feel. Oddly like crying.

He created me for specific responsibilities. Okay, daughter – sister – wife – mom – friend. Those are the “givens.” What outside of that? Well, here’s where I get reluctant to admit too much more because I don’t know if I am thinking too highly of myself or not! I think he created me to be a helper-completer to not just my husband but to others. I am a good helper-completer. It's a gift...I think! :)

God has been growing me - stretching me actually - in the area of spiritual life-giving. Sometimes the things I say shock even me! God must be using my mouth (at times) to speak his heart. Someday I hope to be known as a woman of wisdom. I especially want to be known for receiving it; I think imparting it is then made easier.

“Beth.” God’s voice says my name. He is not filled with frustration because I’m not getting it or filled with impatience because he’d rather be elsewhere working with someone else who might be easier. But I am positive his tone is one of deep tenderness, deep love, and a deep desire to show my heart that all is well. And deep in me I believe God counts me as valuable. That deep belief just needs to rise to the surface more often and then I need to grab hold of it and live in it.

God’s heart for women? I think Proverbs 31:10b sums it up, “She is worth far more than rubies.” We are more valuable than this world gives us credit for. We are more valuable to the work of God than even we realize.

Beloved, do you hear him saying YOUR name? Because he is...

Fulfillment

The day before we had stared out windows that revealed wet snow falling. With every snowflake I became sure we would have to reschedule the project. I was feeling discouraged. How do you demo and rebuild in wet, muddy conditions? But the day of the project dawned bright and sunny…and the perfect temperature for outdoor work. I felt God’s pleasure. Some of us assembled had never met but it didn’t matter as we held hands and prayed for God to bless the work of our hands and hearts, for he had already established it. (Psalm 90:17)

The need was obvious ~ a rotting deck, with preschoolers in the house, needed to be torn down and replaced with something safer. Everyone got to work, some tearing down rotting wood, others painting new wood, and the yard being cleaned up. I listened to the chatter and laughter mingling with power tools and paint brushes and couldn’t help but smile. What a perfect day! This had the appearance, the sound, the feel of an early church community. In Acts 2 they are described and I imagine that God allowed us a glimpse into their community to encourage us to continue in their model ~ fulfilling both physical and spiritual needs for one another. (verses 42-47) By all accounts verse 46 indicates that by fulfilling both kinds of needs the Body was encouraged, edified, and fortified to continue in worship and service.

As I looked around that day at the work and fellowship happening simultaneously I recognized God’s presence on the Body of Christ. That day as people packed up and left, leaving behind a family grateful for the work done, I knew we had received so much more than what we had given that day.

“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:12-15 (NIV)

Hey! You're invited...to a foot washin'!

“You would do that?” came the awe-filled question. And then, with tears framing the next words, “There are not words for this kind of love.”

I had just had the honor of approaching a couple in our Body with an offer to priceless to refuse. We were offering to “wash the feet” of a couple who washes the feet of so many in our congregation. At first there was hesitation. After all, it is much more comfortable to wash others feet than to be humbled by baring ours for a soak. But the gift was from God and nobody can refuse that.

We showed up on a bright, sunny Saturday morning. Armed with cleaning supplies, groceries, and oh yes…lots of doughnuts! First order of business…fellowship. Foot washing is more than just fulfilling a practical need, it’s about filling a spiritual need ~ the community that the book of Acts speaks of.

And then we went to work. And here’s the thing, it didn’t even feel like work. It was just a group of friends laughing, talking, and serving this precious couple. The day flew by and before we knew it we were cleaning up and sitting down to lunch for more fellowship. It was a great day.

In the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples before his death he did something that caused quite a stir. He took on the position of a servant and washed the feet of his men. Peter, the bold and brutally honest one of the bunch, at first balked at the very idea of his Lord washing his feet. In John 13 we see the scene played out and I imagine that Peter, in an awe-struck tone, asked Jesus, “Lord, are you washing my feet?” (verse 6) and when Jesus replied in the affirmative I wonder if it wasn’t tears that framed Peter’s next words, “You shall never wash my feet!” (verse 8) This account gives me a lot of lessons to chew on and God has been gracious to show them to me little by little. If he taught them all to me at once I might explode from sensory overload! Any of us would.

The idea of washing feet is a fairly foreign concept to us today but I believe God is sparking the desire afresh in the hearts of his people. And with that spark a challenge is born. Will we heed the call of God to be the Body to the Body? Will we quit talking about it and actually do it? See, we can’t go out into the world to minister if we first don’t minister to our own the way God desires. We’ve drawn the circle around ourselves and the change begins with those in the circle.

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:42-47

Contentment...what?!? What's THAT?

Have you ever thought about the value of the memory that brings you joy or a smile to your face, or a tear to your eye? Now think about trying to recreate it…kind of devalues it doesn’t it? It doesn’t feel the same or even look the same and you may even be a bit weary because you expended energy to recreate something that God had given you effortlessly the first time. God’s gifts aren’t meant to be recreated but savored in the moment they are given.

When I was in Kenya last June I had a great mango juice drink. Let me tell you…it was GOOD! So good that I carried the desire for it back with me to Colorado and went on a search for it. Imagine my excitement at finding a mango juice on our grocery shelves and the brand came out of South Africa! I thought that surely it would be almost the same drink I had in Kenya. Now imagine my disappointment when my taste buds revealed that it just wasn’t the same. I realized then and there ~ as silly as it seems, that the mango juice that gave me such a great memory of my time in Kenya was meant for just that. A memory and not something to try and recreate. I have learned to value the memory of it and let it bring me joy as it leads me to recall other good moments of the same trip.

1 Timothy 6:6-7 has a lesson for us about the value of a moment. When we can be content with the moment and the memory of the moment we have taken a step toward godly contentment. And godly contentment leads to a joy filled life because we value the gifts of God, no matter how big or small. And when we value something, we recognize that we don’t need to spend any time or energy recreating it. God would rather see us put energy toward new moments to add to our collection.

There’s a woman in the Bible who had her own collection of moments. We can learn a lot from her. She valued moments given to her by God and continued on, giving her energy to new moments along the way. Her name was Mary and she was the mother of Jesus. Twice in Luke 2 we are told that she observed and participated in some special moments and treasured the memories in her heart. (verses 19 and 51) Notice she didn’t attempt to recreate any of those moments; she just tucked them away in the recesses of her heart and carried them with her.

Next time you or I are tempted to recreate a moment, let us consider a different way to spend our energy and store away the memory in our hearts as a priceless gift from God.

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19