hope

Grief

/ EloquentMuse / 2 Comments
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Hello there. It’s been over a year since I’ve written a post, but you, dear reader, have been weighing on my mind the whole time, believe me. I’ve felt a bit like I’ve failed us both. I have no idea if I ever succeeded in being a light on a hill for you or a sister speaking comfort in a world of darkness. However, if I have, as I hoped, I pray you forgive my silence.

My mother died. It’s even painful to write it. She had 4th stage cancer for two years, so I believe I’d been grieving for awhile before she actually left us. The crazy thing about grief, I’ve learned, is that it affects us in ways you can’t prepare for. When you heard from me last, I was in denial. Then, within weeks of her passing, I knew. It hit me when she spent only 15 mins out of bed to see us before returning to bed once again. I cried in the bathroom. Started having anxiety attacks every time I’d leave my parent’s house. Then, she died. I floated in a fog for awhile, but I suddenly handled everything weirdly well… I thought.

I love writing, but I haven’t written since last year in the midst of the anxiety and denial. I’ve tried and failed with different types of writing and then stopped trying. I can even do other types of creative projects like sketching, but words are blocked. It’s like trying to get water from the wrong side of a dammed river. I’ve heard of the stages of grief being sadness, anger, denial, bargaining, etc., but I’ve never heard of the stage of silence.

To write a post about grief from the perspective of God’s Word, I had to be selective in which verses to include because there are so very, very many. God has a lot to say about death and grief. I like a few in particular because it’s as much about the mourner as it is about the one we mourn.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.“

John 14:27

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26

These verses are full of hope and comfort, not only for our present life, but hope that our loved ones never truly die if they lived in God. There’s so many of Yahweh’s people who grieved in the Bible, as well: Job, David, Naomi, even Jesus, who has the shortest sentence in the Bible devoted to the mourning of His friend.*

“Jesus wept.”

John 11:35

Really, that’s the one that means the most to me. We’re not alone in our grief. There is no one in the universe who loves you and your loved ones more than God. He hates death. He hates that your loved one died. He hates that you are in pain. Yes, God hates. He hates evil, and evil brought death into our world, but he’s got a plan.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

So, if you’re grieving, like I am, hold onto the knowledge that your loved one is simply on a new adventure, one by God’s side, one without the pain and heartache we experience here. Make new memories and adventures to perhaps tell them about when you see them one day. Have faith the size of a mustard seed, and go forward in life with confidence in this truth. Grief is an amorphous creature that takes many shapes, but trust that God knows it well. You can’t and shouldn’t try to handle it alone.

I’ve successfully written this, so maybe this dammed river will flow again soon. God bless.

*I have a whole post dedicated to why God would cry over a death if He knew He’d resurrect him soon. Read Here

Rotten Trees,Woolly Wolves

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Personal circumstances have delayed my writing this post until the day before I will publish it, mainly because they have caused a maelstrom of emotion and mental fogginess. Yet those circumstances have also brought me here to create this very post. I have no idea if this will help anyone, but God laid it on my heart to write it, even if it’s only for me.

Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves…Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

Matthew 7:15-23

There are many people who call themselves Christians or simply seem like upstanding individuals who are actually dark souls beneath. There are people who we come to trust and love who turn out to be wolves underneath, waiting to strike. That type of betrayal is not foreign to God, who, besides the innumerable people who turn their backs to Him, was also stabbed in the back by Judas while here on Earth as a man. The difference between God and ourselves is that no one can trick God. How would God deal with such a person?

A person living with no remorse for their sins is the rotten tree. We’re not speaking of all sinners, which would include everyone of us. As described in the above verse, many are master manipulators and can don a disguise as easily as breathing. So, you and I will never truly know if a rotten tree ever genuinely feels remorse and turns to God for actual salvation in his or her heart. That is between that person and God on a soul level. However, what is impossible to man is possible for God. He’s raised the dead before and He can do so again.

On a personal level, it is best, when a rotten fruit reveals a deceptively rotten tree in your life, to do three things as a child of God:

  1. Forgive them. You can read a post of mine titled “Forgiveness – What It’s Not.” I wrote another post that’s called “Loving Even the Wolves” about loving our enemies. We don’t do evil against them, exchanging evil for evil. Forgiveness is not absolution. It doesn’t say what they did was right or okay. It does not mean you trust them. It does not mean you will even keep them in your life. However, a rotten apple spoils the whole bunch, they say. Don’t forgive, and you have a death grip on a rotten apple, and that will spoil all of your own fruit. Cast it aside for your own sake.
  2. Cut off the branch. If someone is a manipulator and deceiver, it’s not healthy for you or the others around you to keep him or her in your life. As much as you are able, cut them off. Consider the following verse:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

John 15:1-2

Why does God cut off the branches that bear no fruit (or in this case, possibly rotten fruit)? The death of those branches will pull down the rest. If God does this, it’s a sign you should as well.

3. Grieve. The part of our brain that processes emotion does not easily grasp the complexities of human relationships (or maybe that’s just me). If a person has betrayed or hurt you, it’s not easy to let that relationship go because all of the memories and emotions you had before are still there. Let yourself process the symbolic death of who you thought they were and the life you shared.

Another thing to remember, just in case: If a person who claimed or claims to be Christian shows his or her true nature of being rotten, some will use that as a reason to fall away from God. If you stop following God because a follower of God (or fake follower) betrays you or lets you down, you were never following God. You were following the person. A human will always disappoint in some way.

Hope this helps someone one day.

God bless!

What Remains

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve already read too many articles about the era of history unfolding before us. It’s a strange time to live, and it came so suddenly upon us, I think most of us are still reeling from the changes that this virus, the lockdowns, and just the fear have brought to the world. That’s the thing though, right? This concerns the entire world. I know I’m young(ish), but I don’t recall any single event affecting the entire world so abruptly and at the same time.

We’re all realizing how connected we all are. If such a terrible thing like this virus can spread so quickly from person to person across the globe, then so can a wondrous thing like love, kindness, compassion, and hope. What if, when you serve your neighbor, that joyful servitude spreads, infectious with love, to a child in Japan within a month or two? We usually never know because the CDC doesn’t report spreading acts of compassion, we don’t pause our daily lives for the bellies filled or the smiles created, and we don’t have world-wide counts on the re-born rates of children of God.

I lay in my hammock yesterday realizing something about all of this. I’ve never felt more like a child since I was an actual child. It’s a weird thing to feel, now, during all of this. I used to play all day, from sunrise to sunset if I could, outside, barefoot and dirty. Now, when I step outside I notice that the world of nature hasn’t changed in the face of the news. The birds still sing over the warmer weather. The flowers have been blooming, bringing the joyful buzz of bees. Some days it rains, and the smell brings me back to memories of sitting on my parent’s porch with the wind chimes ringing in the storms.

I always feel closer to God when in nature. When I’m inside, I feel Him too, but I’m distracted by all the man-made stuff, chattering TV, the chores left to do. When I’m outside, I sense Him in His creation, things going on as they have been when He set them in motion. He can be seen in His creation, too. His hope in reflected in the erupting colors of spring, His calm in the gentle, warm breeze. You can feel how solid He is if you stand, barefoot, on the soil and watch His smile in the cotton clouds above.

I guess I’m writing this to tell you that we’re all feeling super complex feelings about this. It’s temporary; this will pass, but difficult times always feel like they’ll last forever. We’re all grieving the loss of control we thought we had over our lives. We’re all anxious sometimes of what tomorrow will bring. The emotions sometimes hit me out of nowhere. You’re not alone; but you’re probably just realizing this more than ever. Everything you do affects the whole world, at some point. We’ve never been in control. God has been this whole time, still is, and He is calm, hopeful, loving, and reaching out to you whatever you’re feeling. Even if all else fell away, He would remain.

Maybe step outside, take your shoes off to feel the ground beneath your feet, and speak to Him.

God bless!

Lost that Loving Feeling

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Have you ever heard someone say that God is silent? Or maybe He doesn’t answer his or her prayers? Did they say they’ve been searching for Him, but He seems absent?

The fact that they feel a lack is a good sign they haven’t grown complacent to a distant relationship with God. If they’ve been searching and praying, God has been showing up and answering. The question is, why don’t they see or hear Him in their lives? Why can’t they feel Him anymore?

He exists and loves you external to and despite your feelings. Whether you perceive Him or “feel” anything in relation to Him doesn’t change the fact He is there, always moving, speaking, and reaching out to you. Consider the oxygen around you. If you didn’t know it existed, would you be unable to breathe? Does it change its existence. No, the truth remains outside of our perception or acceptance. It just is.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

1 John 4:16

The hard fact about God’s love is that more than just a feeling. It’s an action. If you don’t sense God or feel as though He’s distant, consider that maybe you’re the one who walked off. Walk your way back, and the best way to do that is be called into action to show your love for Him and His creation. Volunteer, donate, spread comfort, love, and cheer to others, tell others of your love for Him, whatever you do, do it in Love. You’ll find Him there.

You should be aware that you’re not the only one to have felt this way. In fact, it is said David (God said he was a man after His own heart) wrote this psalm:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me,
    so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
    by night, but I find no rest
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
    you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
    they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
    they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
    “let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
    since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
    you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
    from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
    for trouble is near
    and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
    strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
    open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
    it has melted within me.
15 My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
    you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
    a pack of villains encircles me;
    they pierce my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
    people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
    and cast lots for my garment.
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
    You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
    my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
    save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my people;
    in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
    All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
    Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
    the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
    but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
    before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
    those who seek the Lord will praise him—
    may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
    will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
    will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
    and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
    all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
    those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
    future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,
    declaring to a people yet unborn:
    He has done it!
Psalm 22

God answered many times during David’s time, which he speaks of in his other Psalms. However, He answered again, this time to all of humanity who felt this way. Notice Jesus mentions this psalm when He hung on the cross:

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Matthew 27: 45-46

He feels the cries of countless souls who suffer in this fallen world, and in answer, He dies to save them from the darkness. Know that although David felt unheard at times, God heard and remembered.

I know many are having a hard time lately with all that’s going on in the world, but know that despite your feelings, God loves you and is still reaching out to you. Know in your heart that He hears and answers. It may not be the answer you like, and it may not come when you want it, but God knows better than any of us. You’ll find it was the right answer and the right timing. Please love one another in action, not just emotion. We all need each other more than ever.

God bless!

Happy New Year of Hope

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And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. – Genesis 1:3-5

From the beginning, God has reminded us of His unfailing providence. Just as we never doubt the sun will rise again in the morning, and we schedule events and set up 401k’s for several decades in the future knowing the world will continue to turn. In the same way, we should have eternal hope in God because He’s even more reliable than the rising and falling of the sun. Notice a day for Him starts in the darkness and ends in the light. Just like this, the world started in darkness. Yes, we are still there, yet we see the hues of the sky lightening with the coming day. Have faith, because hope will come in the morning, and it surely will, in a blaze of glory like a sunrise.

Genesis states with each new day of creation, “And there was evening, and there was morning.” Yet, when he comes upon the seventh day, the sun never rises. We are told the following:

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. – Genesis 3:2-3

Let us look to the sky with anticipation and joy. The morning is coming, and it will be good.

Happy New Year and God bless!

Compassion Fatigue

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Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. -Galatians 6:9

“Police say they’ve found DNA evidence connecting the suspect to a woman who gave birth in a vegetative state.”
“The brutal truth behind the shutdown.”
“Iowa’s ‘fetal heartbeat’ abortion restriction declared unconstitutional.”
“Opinion: Why Gillette’s ad slamming toxic masculinity is drawing cheers — and anger.”
“Dozens of children get cancer in suburb.”

These are just a few random articles I found under the CNN website today. CNN isn’t unique. Most news outlets will sound just the same. Maybe they’ll have a slightly different perspective, a lean into another direction, but in the end, it’s mostly bad news 24/7. Do you recall any other time in known history when world-wide news was so immediately accessible, each event written of in hundreds of articles the moment it happens? We can listen on the radio, watch it on TV, on the internet, tune into a news podcast, enter a news chatroom, watch tweets and Snaps and Facebook links pop up like flies on a corpse. Bad news gets more attention and therefore more coverage.

However, there’s many downsides to this instant and constant melodrama, one of which is compassion fatigue or vicarious traumatization.

This is the “indifference to charitable appeals on behalf of those who are suffering, experienced as a result of the frequency or number of such appeals.” (dictionary.com)

Every time we hear or see bad news, we naturally rise up internally to the cause, feeling compassion, sympathy, and possibly a drive to help. However, once it becomes an all day, every day thing, we can become apathetic, exhausted by the constant pleas, and feel hopeless in being able to do anything. This is in direct opposition to what God desires but so is the constant diet of bad news.

You are not God. You are incapable of helping everyone and championing every cause. So, it seems illogical to subject yourself to a daily dose of what’s wrong with the world.

There’s nothing wrong in being informed, but what that meant just 50 years ago versus now is a completely different picture. Speaking of the 60’s, there were two modes of news, well three if you count word of mouth, the daily newspaper and TV news (only on at certain times of the day). You had to go out of your way to find out the goings on of the world.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. – Philippians 4:7-8

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

There’s a very prominent Biblical figure who took on too many of others’ problems. Here’s what he was told.

When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?” And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.” Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.” -Exodus 18:14-23

You may be called to be caregivers, messengers, and disciples, but you can’t do it all. If you are particularly moved to help someone or a cause, that is God moving through you. A lack of compassion or feeling when you see the evening news is a sign you need to see less of it. You can help your next door neighbor with groceries, you can lift up a stranger in need, you can support the education of a child in Nicaragua, or save the life of a family in China — but you can’t save the world. Let God do that, and He’ll tell you where you’re needed. Even Mother Teresa wrote to her superiors about the need for nuns to take an entire year off from their duties every 4-5 years to allow them to heal from care-giving work; self-care is essential. (Psst: Check out my past posts on the Sabbath).

Learn about the bigger matters of the world or your community and then shut the news off, unsubscribe to the news on Facebook, and preserve your sanity and sympathy so it’s there when God calls on you to spread love to the world.

Love news but want to find out about the many happy and uplifting things that are happening world-wide? Here’s some places to start:

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
https://www.ted.com/#/
http://gimundo.com/
https://www.happynews.com/
https://www.today.com/news/good-news
http://www.dailygood.org/
https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news

Sources other than Bible:
http://www.compassionfatigue.org/
https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/01/health/bad-news-bad-health/index.html
https://www.thecut.com/2014/08/what-all-this-bad-news-is-doing-to-us.html
https://www.complex.com/life/2015/08/the-apathy-generation
https://www.stress.org/military/for-practitionersleaders/compassion-fatigue/

We the Priests, the Warriors

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This world can be full of troubles, death, and darkness. Most of us have felt helpless at some point in the face of the overwhelming atrocities.

As Christians, we are unique in that God has called upon us to be the light in this darkness, to be a source of hope in the midst of hopelessness.The unbelievers are annoyed by our constant replies that we will send “thoughts and prayers” to victims every time something occurs, yet nothing is put into action or changed to prevent the evil from occurring again. Of course they are! Don’t automatically put up a wall when you hear the outpouring of anger against us when you can find wisdom in their words. Put your love of God above your pride and listen. Of course we must pray, pray always and without ceasing. However, we are called to be God’s hands and feet, used by Him to lead the world to His way of love.

So, what can we do? How exactly can we accomplish that?

There’s a popular, albeit fictional, story of an atheist professor who attempted to shame the believers in his classroom by calling into question the logic of a purely good God. He stated that if good and bad exist, and God created everything, then God created bad and is, therefore, not purely good. Without posting the story in its entirely, a student stood up and turned the questions around in order to show that, in the same manner that darknessand coldness does not exist in themselves but are the absence of light and heat, so too, evil is simply the absence of good and, therefore, God.

We are called to bring light and warmth to a dark and cold world. Anytime, there’s a question of how, we can look to the Bible.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you as aliens and exiles to keep on abstaining from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. Continue to live such upright lives among the gentiles that, when they slander you as practicers of evil, they may see your good actions and glorify God when he visits them. ” 1 Peter 2:8

You are a priest, and what did priests do? They lived their lives as examples of joy, love, and truth, as we are called to be examples to the world. They were those who had direct access to God and His messages, and they were responsible for announcing those messages to all those who would hear, as we are called to spread the gospel. They made sacrifices that appealed to God for others’ sins and praised Him for their blessings, as we do when we pray. There’s something else they did:

They separated the clean and unclean, the diseased from the healthy. If someone was diagnosed with a contagious disease, that person was quarantined away from everyone until he or she was declared no longer contagious. If someone was unclean for some reason or another, that person was made to stay outside of the encampment to keep from spreading diseases or making the clean unclean. Not to mention that the punishments for those who committed crimes against others were harsh and immediate.

What does this mean for us? We are called, as a holy people, to discern the unhealthy and unclean and push for the powers-that-be to separate them from the rest of us. If those who are unhealthy purposely harm others, we are called to push for the powers-that-be to punish those criminals.

You are a warrior, and what do warriors do? They do not rest in apathy. If you are a Christian, you are called into action as a priestly warrior of God. We all know the verse about the full armor of God:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:10-18

Another thing to remember is that we are all made gloriously different with varying points of view. What a shame if we didn’t have the strength to see different dimensions and solutions to problems! Let us come together as brothers and sisters and not fight amongst ourselves, but hear each the other’s opinions, so that we can find a way to shed God’s light and love into the confused, blind, and horrified world.

And also, always, always pray.

New Year: God’s Resolution

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“And the One seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.'” Revelation 21:5

A new year promises new beginnings, and urges us all to look to the future with hope and sometimes a little fear of the unknown. We make resolutions to help us create a better life. Did you know God has His own resolutions?

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying:

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man,
and He will live with them.
They will be His people,
and God Himself will be with them as their God.
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and there will be no more death
or mourning or crying or pain,
for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

“Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.” And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life. The one who is victorious will inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.” Revelation 21:5-7

Once upon a time, when I was a child, I took it upon myself to “attempt” to read the Bible all the way through. I half-way succeeded (literally only the Old Testament) and then skipped to Revelations. What a horrible idea! I read things like:

“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” Revelations 6:8

And –

“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Revelations 6:12-14

Well then. So, basically Revelations used to be like a horror film to me, full of blood and gore and hopelessness.

I HAD MISSED GOD’S PROMISES AND HOPE. I only caught on to his anger and deep sadness over the darkness of the world.

So, later, armed with greater reading comprehension and knowledge of how to research and dissect literature, I faced the Bible once again. I started at the beginning, when the world held such hope, mourned the loss of innocence, and struggled alongside the prophets, laymen, families, and God as I made my way back through the Old Testament.

Malachi.

This is the last book of the Old Testament, written by the minor prophet… Malachi, of course.

“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.” Malachi 3:1

“See, I will send my messenger…For he will be like a refiner’s fire… He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.” Malachi 3:1-4

Malachi spoke of hope. Hope that the Israelites lived on for 400 years.

Then, I finally opened the New Testament.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5

The darkness has not overcome it. After all the pain, turmoil, doubt, and silence that the Old Testament addressed, it also spoke of unrelenting faith, everlasting love for others and God for His people, and the pinprick of light that still existed far toward the end of the tunnel. Yet, after all this, that spot of light remained and only grew stronger in the world.

Through the books of the New Testament, I walked with Jesus and His disciples speaking of the love of God and His children and the hope that sinners had in Him. The darkness had not overcome the light, but the light would overcome the darkness. Though life was never easy or fair for Jesus or His followers, they grew from a handful to innumerable as the stars. I remember a resolution God had made back in the beginning.

“He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars–if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Genesis 15:5

Did you think God was speaking to Abraham of his future blood relatives back then? Abraham probably did too.

“And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29

You are one of those stars He spoke of so long ago.

When God makes promises and resolutions, He not only follows through but brings them to fruition above our very expectations and dreams.

So, when I finally made it back to Revelations, I read it with different eyes, filled with new hope. There would be terrible things in store for the world. This much was still true. But, did you not realize that we, the beloved children of God, are not the world? We may have to suffer through much, but haven’t we already through history? One thing remained the same: God stands by our side and faces it alongside us.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:17-18

This new year, remember God has His own resolutions, and they involve you.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Happy New Year to all; your future is bright.

***

Other Bible quotes about God making all things new:

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 45:18-19

“For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;
for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,
and her people to be a gladness.” Isaiah 65:17-18

Feminist Christian: An Oxymoron?

/ EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

You’ve possibly read the book “The Handmaiden’s Tale” or even watched the new show. It’s a sci-fi dystopian story about a futuristic U.S. which has become an overwhelmingly patriarchal society, deeming women as basically objects for procreation. It’s pretty disturbing, to say the least. The worst part of it isn’t really the men who carry out this crushing oppression, but the women who subject their own gender to those demeaning roles.

Watching the show (it’s been a while since I’ve read the book), I noticed how the camera would pan to things like churches or religious objects. It made me think, what does God have to do with misogynists? Do people think being a feminist Christian is an oxymoron?

Of course people think this of religion. Many people have not represented God very well in this aspect as they succumb to corruption and power-hungry domination.

It’s sad that people think of God as a misogynist because who said God was male? The Bible uses male pronouns as a way to indicate power and authority. The world is patriarchal. Language has adapted to that.

I personally don’t believe he’s either gender. He’s a being above procreation and so has no need for Earthly gender. Why would He hate or denigrate females? Ok, let’s look at the moment of creation, when humans were created.

“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18

Let’s look at the Hebrew meanings of the words translated as helper and suitable, shall we?

Helper: Azar = help, further, ally, support, protect, restrain

Suitable: Nagad = in front of, in sight of, opposite to, comparable to as in mate

He needed a being “comparable” or equal to man. So, he created a woman. That’s right. The above verse is basically stating that women are equal to men. Notice also that he says it’s not good for men to be alone. That’s because we are made to be supported, love, and in community with others, just as God is in the Trinity. We are made in His image, after all. Together, men and women share life together.

So, equal means the same, right? Why not just make another man or something? Okay, no. Notice one way to translate the Hebrew word for “suitable” is “opposite to.” Another good word might be complementary. The strengths and weaknesses of each offset the strengths and weaknesses of the other. Women are physically weaker (generally) but mental gymnasts (multi-tasking and high pain tolerance for the win!). Men are mental marathoners (singular focus) with low pain tolerance (generally) but more physical prowess. There’s a lot more to our complementary features, and they differ from individual to individual.

So, they were equal companions, though different, in the Garden of Eden until everything fell apart. There are hints that their relationship was never the same either. Notice what God says as he throws them out of Eden:

“The LORD God said to the serpent,
‘Because you have done this,
Cursed are you more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you will go,
And dust you will eat
All the days of your life;
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.'”

This is BIG. The serpent is representative of evil and the fruits of evil. Although he harms Eve’s children (that is all of us), her seed will harm him. Yes, that would be Jesus. Please note that, although much of the Bible focuses on the male lineage and how father begat son, God focuses on Eve here. She is the beginning of the end for Satan, and Mary, another female, will physically bring that Hope into the world.

“To the woman He said,
‘I will greatly multiply
Your pain in childbirth,
In pain you will bring forth children;
Yet your desire will be for your husband,
And he will rule over you.'”

So, it seems that Adam’s authority over Eve wasn’t truly fleshed out in the garden. Now, women will be more focused on serving their husbands, and husbands will naturally stand in the dominant role. (Side note: Check out my last post on Marriage to read how marriage reflects the Trinity.)

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’;
Cursed is the ground because of you;
In toil you will eat of it
All the days of your life.
“Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you;
And you will eat the plants of the field;
By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.’
Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.” Genesis 3:14-20

Now, men are the breadwinners for the household, which has held historically true. Adam was to give name to every being on Earth. So, he names her Eve, which is “khav-vaw” in Hebrew: life-giver. This has a double meaning that honors her and the hope she holds within her. She gives birth to the nations, sure. However, I believe he was also focused on the fact that she is the first of a line that leads directly to the true Life-Giver, Jesus. They were thrown out and are in the depths of despair, so it is at this moment Adam holds onto the hope God has given them: “…her seed; He shall bruise you (Satan) on the head.” God will turn their evil back to good again one day.

As time passed, there were many more notable females born to bear God’s legacy. Most of them, just like the men of the Bible, serve as examples of what God and His people stand for, but let’s look at the strongest women.

Ruth displayed a love and loyalty to her mother-in-law after their husbands’ deaths. She stated, “For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” Ruth 1:16-17 This is a great example of how one can follow the unity of the Trinity even outside of marriage. Through her actions, she shows the loyalty and permanence that God also has for us, and she is brave though she doesn’t know where life may lead them next.

As mentioned in the post about submission, Esther, wife of King Ahasuerus and queen of Persia, secretly lived as a Jewish woman in a pagan court. When her blood-hungry husband was going to kill her people, she risked death by approaching him to fight for their lives. (Esther 4-5)

Hagar, an Egyptian servant, was neglected and abused for jealousy’s sake. Although she was abandoned to the wilderness just as she needed support the most, soon after having her son, Hagar held onto her faith and love of God, and He pulled her and her child through those difficult circumstances. (Genesis 16-21)

Mary Magdalene is a popular name; and although people state she was a prostitute, it never states that anywhere in the Bible. She was, however, financially secure and somewhat independent for her time period, and after Jesus had delivered her from possession of demons, Mary made sure to financially support Him and His ministry. She is also a main witnesses to Jesus as she was present during the crucifixion, burial, empty tomb, and Jesus, risen again from the grave. Her importance is undeniable. (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

I believe Martha and Mary perfectly show two types of female disciples. Jesus visited them and their brother Lazarus in Bethany. They were both very faithful, but they were very different women. Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to converse, just like the other male disciples, while Martha scurried around serving them dinner and making Him comfortable. They were both serving Him in different ways, and Jesus expressed his joy in them both. Some of us just aren’t domestic, and that’s ok. (Luke, John)

There are some verses people like to pull out in order to “prove” that the Bible is misogynist, but here’s a couple big ones:

“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” 1 Timothy 2:12

“As in all the congregations of the saints, women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church.” 1 Corinthians 14: 33-35

Yikes. But, wait. What about these verses?

“He (Apollos) began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.” Acts 18:26

If it isn’t clear enough, Priscilla is a female, and she taught Apollos along with her husband Aquila. Unconventionally, in a culture where men are in a place of authority, Priscilla’s name is mentioned before her husband’s. This may mean nothing or everything, but some sources state this means she was the more prominent teacher. Paul was very confident of the couple’s teaching capabilities as stated in 1 Cor. 16:19. He names them both as church leaders in Ephesus.

“I commend to your our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worth of his people and to give her any help she may need from you for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me .” Roman 16:1-2

Pheobe was in an important position of her church, and some believe she served in the same capacity as Paul, Apollos, Tychicus, and many others also mentioned in the Bible. The word “benefactor” is also translated as “presiding officer” in some Bibles.

How about Deborah, a prophetess, military warrior, and judge who held the greatest authority in Israel during her time. Plus, as one source states, “She is also one of the few judges of whom the Bible reports no failures.”* (Judges 4,5) She was not the only prophetess in the old or new testament. Consider Miriam who was sent alongside Moses and Aaron before the Pharaoh (Micah 6:4), Huldah (2 Kings 22 & 2 Chronicles 34) who fearlessly gives a grim prophesy to a king of whom she unceremoniously refers as “the man” instead of his title (“Tell the man who sent you to me”), Isaiah’s wife who gives birth to a son with an extra long name (Isaiah 8:3; Seriously, look it up.), Anna who bears witness to the baby Jesus, joyfully telling everyone of His birth (Luke 2:36-38), and the daughters of Phillip (Acts 21:8-9). A prophet or prophetess was not simply a “foreteller” as many think of them. They are people who speaks God’s truth to others, typically serving as both teacher and revelator with their especially close relationship to the Creator.

There are many mentions of females in leadership or teaching positions of churches and synagogues in the New Testament. It’s likely they allowed women to serve in those positions because of Jesus’ attitude toward female disciples. See the many instances female disciples are spoken as following Jesus throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Some travelled with Jesus and some stayed behind in their homes but still served Him. There were many names unmentioned, but here are those who were: Mary Magdelene, Mary Salome, Mary and Martha (What’s up with all the Marys?), The Three Marys (ha!), Joanna, Susanna, Priscilla, Tabitha, Lydia, Phoebe, Junia, Trypehna, Julia, Nympha, and Apphia. Many unnamed women also received the Holy Spirit during the Pentecost. Discipleship, if you’re unaware, is a student position that eventually leads to teaching. These females spread the gospel through TEACHING.

So, whatever that first verse meant (and there are many who disagree), it did NOT mean that ALL women couldn’t teach. Consider it may have had something to do with the place or circumstances of which we are unaware. If the author had something against all women teaching the gospel, it sure doesn’t mesh with the rest of their teachings. It’s important to understand that the Bible was written in a time of extreme patriarchy where people, even women, were less likely to listen to a female (who generally had no formal education like her male peers). They were called to not even give the appearance of wrong-doing so that others would be more likely to listen to God’s message through them. The females within the Bible and those who weren’t, whether teacher, deacon, prophetess, or simple disciple, sometimes had to fight twice as hard against the unholy culture of their time in order to be God’s light in the world.

If you ever hear that the Bible, God, or Christianity is misogynist or against females in any way, understand that the WORLD is against God and will lie in many ways to turn you against Him. Do not let them make you underestimate your place in God’s will or undermine the power He has placed within you. You are the hope of the world. Women, be the light and love, and shine bright.

Sources besides the Bible:
http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/did-priscilla-teach-apollos/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_disciples_of_Jesus

http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/did-priscilla-teach-apollos/

Noone is Good

/ EloquentMuse / Leave a comment

The dichotomy of good vs. evil: It’s an ancient idea, but you’ll hear many twists. The eastern world has the imagery of the yin yang. There’s no real good or evil but negative and positive forces which complement and complete the other. The modern, western world hates a simple good and bad; you may hear a lot about gray areas and how there’s good and bad in everyone. Question here is: What does the Bible actually say about good and evil? First, let’s start with a definition of good and evil, not from the dictionary but from the Bible.

What is goodness?

“And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Mark 10:18
*Good = Greek agathon = intrinsically good, whether it is seen to be so or not, the widest & most colorless of all words with this meaning.

“As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:10/Psalm 14:1-4
*Righteous = Greek dikahyos = equitable/innocent/holy

“And do not enter into judgment with your servant, For in your sight no man living is righteous.” Psalm 143:2
*Righteous = Hebrew tsadeq = to be right/clean/just/righteous/lawful/justified

“Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” Ecclesiastes 7:20
*Good = Hebrew towb = beautiful, pleasant, agreeable to the sight, taste, smell etc.

The Hebrew and Greek translations of the words used vary little. The translations seem to point to fairness, innocence, clean, lawful, and pleasant beauty. However, if you look at the commandments and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, explaining the spirit of the laws, you can get a better taste of what it means to be good.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

So, goodness, holiness, and righteousness are summed up as love. If you love unconditionally, that is good; however, no one acts and speaks out of love unconditionally, perfectly for all of their life. Therefore, no one, including Christians, is good. “No one is good except God alone.” Mark10:18 What is love? Everyone knows the verse spoken at nearly every wedding:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love selflessly seeks the well-being, success, and ultimate joy of others. Sometimes, it’s not nice (read the New Testament to see Jesus wasn’t always nice!). However, it’s always KIND, and kindness is about what is best for the other person.

Now, what is evil?

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21
*Evil=Greek kakos= bad/evil/inwardly foul/rotten

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
*Evil=Greek poneria= iniquity/pain-ridden evil/toil

“He went on: ‘What comes of out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come – sexual immortality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” Mark 7:20-23
*Evil=Greek kakos & Evils=Greek poneria (See Above)

“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14
*Evil=Greek ra’= adversity/bad/disagreeable/misery

It appears to be the opposite of good, and that means evil is the opposite of love. That’s hatred, right? Not always. Sometimes, that’s apathy. If you seek constantly for the well-being of others, you can’t be also apathetic toward them.

This world is so full of bad news about evil, and our current technology and social media makes it possible to stream this bad news 24/7. Just this alone can make a person apathetic as we become deadened to the evil just for the sake of our own sanity. I think this verse says it best:

“Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Furthermore, as we can tell from the translations, evil tends to indicate adversity, pain, toil, misery, and rottenness. Evil is basically the absence of love; it is like the vacuum of space in which nothing can thrive.

Don’t buy into worldly definitions of our most basic beliefs. Let’s not muddy the waters and add confusion. God is quite clear on right and wrong, good and evil.

“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace…” 1 Corinthians 14:33

That is why He is known as a light in the darkness, He shines clarity on a chaotic world. His spirit brings health to our soul so our fruits (the product of our actions) will be good.

The dichotomy of good and evil is real. There is a real battle every day for your soul. Everyone doesn’t have good and bad in them; we are all bad without God. Holding onto Him as to a buoy in a storm, we hold onto His goodness and try to live life as He would, bringing hope to the world.

(Definitions are from Strong’s Concordance)