A study of Women in the Bible

So it's been a long while since I've posted here.
I'm not here to update on my life or to write any random posts about things right now.
Instead I am choosing this year to go back to how this blog started. As a place for Bible exploration and comments.

So I will be writing up a series of my thoughts as I read through the major stories of Women in the bible.
Being a Woman, I feel it's sometimes good to read, learn and reflect on how the Bible depicts Women and how God has created them/us to be.

This can be quite a controversial topic in our modern western culture. Many people see the Bible as suppressing Women under the authority of men. My aim isn't to debunk anyone's thoughts but simply to add mine into the mix.

So, to begin this blog post will now look at Genesis Chapter 2. If you don't have a bible on hand then you can read the chapter here: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2&version=NIV

So in this Chapter we have the creation account written for the second time, following the ending of the first chapter. It written almost like a speedy commentary on the first chapter, but including some more geographical information about the locations of rivers and such (found in verses 11 to 14). Once we see everything has been created the chapter moves to focus on Adam.

We see Adam's purpose in the garden (verse 15: to work it and take care of it). He has received his rules around what food he can eat and what he can't and his boundaries around the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil (verse 17). Then the focus moves to the fact that Adam, even though he is surrounded by God's creation is 'alone.' We see this in verse 18: 'it is not good for man to be alone, I will make a suitable helper for him.' Here we see Adam is created to be in relationship with another creature. And it can't be any creature because God specifies that he has to 'make a suitable helper.' This is also interesting because at this point God has created everything.

To deal with this problem (of Adam being alone) God brings to Adam all the animals and creatures he has created and has Adam name them. (This is an interesting idea because God hasn't seemed to name of the animals yet, he has created them and now Adam is naming them). The end result of this is that 'no suitable helper was found' (verse 20) out of all the creatures existing at this point. Here we see the phrase 'I will make' come into play. God causes Adam to fall asleep and takes one of his ribs to make the woman. This is an action that hasn't been documented yet either. God is creating life out of something he's already created. The language of creating in Genesis 1 isn't used here either, 'and God said.' Here it says made, not spoke. So this creation is slightly different. After this creation is complete Adam is woken up and he see's Eve and there's an instant knowledge that she is the helper suitable for him. This is seen specifically in verse 23, 'This is now bones of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man.' Then they were united as one flesh, they were naked and unashamed. The explanation of our modern term of marriage is also seen here. The man leaving his Father and Mother to be united to his wife in verse 24.

Thoughts on Eve:

She's the last creature documented to be created here. She is created unlike other creatures that she was made and not spoken and she was taken from Adam. She is to be his helper and companion, they are both created to be relational with one another and are therefore united as one.

Eve isn't like the animals that Adam sorted through to find a helper from. She is special in that she was made after finding nothing else created was suitable. She was made specially for a specific purpose which is pretty amazing if you really think about it.

To end my thoughts on the passage I guess I can say I've learnt that Women are pretty special in the slight difference that we have been created. I will be continuing next time with Sarah in Genesis 18.

Many Blessings!

Stop, Listen and Pray

I left university early today feeling overwhelmed and tired. On my way to buy rice an elderly man stopped me. He asked me for money to pay for his prescriptions.

Now... My brain said 'don't trust him' but I stopped and emptied my pocket of $3.55 and told him that's all the cash I had.

Only after I'd done my shopping did I realise he had been asking for more and that there was a chemist nearby. If I had stopped to talk to him I might have found out why he couldn't afford his prescriptions. I could have gone with him to the chemist and paid for them all and then prayed for him.

But instead of serving him with God's love I let the world fill my head. I gave him $3.55 and kept walking.

What if he needed someone to talk to? I neglected to show him Jesus. May The Lord grant me another chance to see this man or may he send someone else to love him instead of me.

Because although this man needed money right now, he really needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour!

If you're stopped and asked for money... Maybe stop a little longer to ask why and to see if you can impart some love on that person.

This is something I hope do get the chance to do properly.

The elderly especially are prone to neglect and loneliness. So let us try our best to care for them.

Many Blessings.

Isolated in Sin

I have recently learned some hard truths about being single and out of home.

It's very easy to isolate yourself.

It's very easy to stop reading the bible and spending time with God.

It's very easy to turn your eyes from God and watch other Christians who live the life you wanted/expected.

It is so easy to fall into the sins of coveting, jealousy and discontentment.

Fleeing from temptation is difficult when you Iive alone. Now I don't live alone but half of my household is away. I also do not live with Christians. And while I love my housemates and greatly enjoy their company; there are some ways they can not care for me. And one of those ways is to keep me focused on God.

When you live away from other Christians and are new in a church it is easy to lose track. So it is of vital importance to keep looking at God, reading your bible and praying. Even making the extra effort to connect with other Christians. Isolation is so easy to fall into but it is also just as easy to connect with others.

We have the whole world electronically at our fingertips.

So please if you are a young, single Christian who Iives away from your parents with more limited access to others than you're used to! Make the extra effort to ask for help. Keep fleeing from temptation and keep your eyes fixed on God.

Don't allow the lives of others to discourage you. Instead remember that you are not them and you are living out the unique story that our God has planned and written for you.

And please! Share your life! Share all of it, good and bad with those around you. The church is our family and for some of us it's the only family we have.

The loneliess, discontentment and sadness I've felt this last week or so didn't have to happen. But I let it happen. I let myself slip and I let my eyes wander!

Focus on the Lord!

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

Here us an image that I used to help me express my feelings this week. The top is the original picture which came from a gif off tumblr. The second is my rendition of it.

Here is a link to my tumblr blog as well (if you're a tumblr person): https://www.tumblr.com/theheavenbound

Keep walking with The Lord! Life isn't easy but with God there is hope and knowledge that there are much better things to come!

God loves, provides and cares!

Many blessings!