purpose

Jewel of the Garden: Woman

The more I hear and think about the story of creation and consider all the characters and flowergemthe events that took place, the more I am fascinated by the creation of women. I’d like to think of us, women, as the Jewels of the Garden. Unfortunately, in today’s world it’s hard to feel that beauty and value, when it is often times measured by the superficial. However, God knew what He was doing when He created woman. He had a special purpose for woman that makes her so unique, which is why as women, we have to find our identity in Christ alone, so that our greater purpose can be fulfilled. He already has proven his love, in that he loved us enough to die for us, therefore, we should love him enough to live for him. Nonetheless, the whole story of the creation of woman shows what David meant in Psalm 139, and how we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

To start off, I read a book by a great author named Donald Miller. In this book he laid out the events that took place before God brought Eve to Adam. First, He created the world, then He created man. However, the point he made was that right after God created him, He put him to work. He told Adam that he was to work it and watch over Eden, and on top of that to name all the animals…ALL of them (Genesis 2:15-19). Can you imagine how long that would have taken. Think about all the animals, in the land, water, and sky. More so, all of them had mates…except Adam. The interesting thing is that even before God told him to name the animals, He promised Adam that He’d give him a suitor, because it wasn’t good to be alone. I don’t think Adam quite understood the significance of what the Lord had promised, until he began to see the mates of each creature and how they complemented each other. Thus, seeing pair after pair, and watching their interactions, he was probably more excited to receive his. It had to be a very long process. Think about it, naming everything, then after a while you have to make sure you don’t use the same name, and then having to classify the types of creatures.

gems5So, when Adam was finally finished working, God put him to sleep. It was then that He took from Adam’s side, his rid, not the ground, and formed Eve. I heard my dad preach one time, that in pulling out from Adam, to created Eve, He took all that was feminine out of man and produced woman. This explains why there is such the connection between male and female; the very make up of a woman He took out of man. As a result, how do you think Adam felt when He first saw and met Eve? I would think excited, in awe, but most of all appreciative. I think he recognized the undeniable value and irreplaceable blessing of the gift God had given him, and the uncompromising purpose he saw within her. So if Adam felt this way about Eve and appreciated her ever so much, why would a woman settle for a man that treats and feels about her any differently? God’s purpose was never that a woman be abused, taken for granted, mistreated, and or neglected by any man. You are the precious jewel of the garden, God knew it and Adam knew it. David O. McKay said it best:

“Women were created from the rib of man to be beside him, not from his head to top him, nor from his feet to be trampled by him, but from under his arm to be protected by him, near to his heart to be loved by him.”

God already called you beautiful (Song of Songs 4:7) and truly takes delight and sings about you (Zephaniah 3:17). You are like a jewel in His crown. Do you know your worth?

Worthy

This does apply to my dudes, but particularly for my ladies: when you really see yourself as God sees you, and when you truly understand find your value, worth and identity in Him alone (not $$, men, sex, education, body-image, material things, job-status, children, family back ground or the lack thereof, personality, talent, skills, clothes, or even your sign) I guarantee, you will be set free and be changed forever.

Too many times we as women subject ourselves bad circumstances, searching for love and wanting to feel like we’re worth something, more than what we feel about ourselves. So, we enter into unhealthy relationships, become promiscuous, stress ourselves out with school and work trying to become a somebody, do things to get attention (too many times from men) – often those things we never thought we would do (for good reason) –  buy shoes we know we cant afford to impress our friends, and even sell out our dream to get our parents’ approval.

But God has such a greater purpose for you than you may have for yourself. You are His precious jewel from Eden. Don’t get swept, trying yo prove your worth to whomever, thinking you’re dirt. God didn’t make you from dirt 😉 (that alone is another blog to come ☺). He doesn’t want to change who you are, He wants to enhance who you are. Although, inadvertently some things will have to change.

So I ask this question, where does you worth lie?

Lessons from Eden

GardenOfEden

One of the things I love about the Bible is the story aspect of it. The characters are so diverse, the plots are so intricate, and the lessons learned are even more dynamic. Of those stories there is the one story that started it all, “The Garden of Eden.” It is in this story that the world changed forever, and the only other time such a change happened was the birth of Jesus. Still, there at the Garden, there is so much that meets the eye, so many angles to look, and so many lessons to be learned. For the sake of this post, we’ll look at one.

The Devil still uses the same tricks as he did back in Eden today, because they still work. One of which is ungratefulness. Let’s just say, for example, there were 100 different trees in the garden. One hundred different trees, each with a different fruit or whatever element can grow on trees, and they were pretty too (Genesis 2:9). Looking at that alone, I can’t even name 50 different trees or the food that grows on them. However, out of the 100, God specifically said don’t eat of one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17).  Now, if Eve (since she was tricked first) would have realized that she already had access to the other 99 trees and would’ve been grateful with that fact alone, she wouldn’t have ate the one tree she wasn’t supposed to. Likewise, many people today, we lose sight of the many great blessings that we do have and the value in them. Then, in some way or another the Devil comes in and shifts our focus to the one thing that we don’t have and often don’t need, we lose sight and forget the blessings we already have, which is far more compared to what we don’t have. When the temptation or lust, if you want to call it, gets strong enough, we are led to do things we know we shouldn’t do and we many times compromise and we get ourselves into situations that God didn’t want us in in the first place. The lesson here is that God knows what’s best for us in our lives, and what’s best to fulfill our purpose. We don’t. We must be grateful always for what the Lord has blessed us with, be happy with those who God blesses as well (Romans 12:15), and remember what God has for us is for us.

Surrendered
[To understand my purpose]
I [must continually] surrender my life
Not letting my mind and flesh overwhelm me
Learning that other people need encouragement
But not everyone wants to be encouraged
Knowing that through God all things are possible
I now understand what it means to be me
Now able to comprehend the concept of don’t be who people think you are but be who you know you are
I’ve established the fact that someone will always have something to say about everything
I have figured out that no one else is quite like me
I am an individual priceless and unique
I’ve concluded that there’s always good in some strange way in every situation
That life is hilarious the way things just fall into place
I’ve recognized the true meaning of wisdom and courage
I’ve accepted that I am different but special in every way
I’ve realized what I was put on earth to do
 I’ve acknowledged the fact that there is purpose for my life
Still being challenged in my walk and in my talk and in my living
I’m choosing to take the road few people travel
As I learn the new meaning of what life is
I’ve given some things up
Yet waiting to take things in
Learning to let things go
However still remembering the world I’ve come from
Things were taken
More were gained
I’ve surrendered my life

Mary x2

woman_washes_Feet_of_Jesus

So, I learned that it was two different Mary’s that anointed Jesus (Mary of Bethany in John; Mary Magdalene in Luke). Now realizing it’s two totally different stories, I came to a conclusion. Even though these Marys were complete opposite in lifestyle – Mary of Bethany was a good Jew stayed out of trouble, and Mary Magdalene on the other hand, was a prostitute and an outcast – Yet, they BOTH understood their dire need for Jesus. They BOTH understood how holy, worthy, and deserving of the honor, glory & praise he really is. As a result they washed his feet with their tears, dried them with their hair, and anointed him with oil.

So it tells me that no matter who we are, our lifestyles, where we come from, or whatever good or bad, WE ALL NEED JESUS, because like another writer said, EVERY knee will bow.

My life is far from perfect, still, my world isn’t exactly crashing down. Either way I’m living, no matter how great or bad it will get, I understand how I have to depend solely on JESUS and choose to bow now….rather than later…by then it’ll be too late.

woman-jesus-feet

So as you live out your purpose, whether in a secular environment or Christian environment, remember Christ. Don’t let pride or insecurity keep you from praying and submitting to his will. When you’re poor in spirit, you understand that the only way to fulfill your purpose in this life, and the only way to live on purpose is by his gracious hand. That is what Mary and Mary understood. No matter what was in their past, their future, their purpose, was in Jesus alone. When you really comprehend the magnitude and intensity of that, it can make you cry. It’s an absolutely beautiful thing to finally understand we are absolutely nothing without God. He gives us meaning. He gives us purpose.