Jesus and Women

   I have been reading The Trial and Death of Jesus Christ by James Stalker recently.  It is one of the great meditations on the sufferings of Christ's last day.  (It is available on Amazon for free if you have a Kindle, or for about $10 if you want to hold the book in your hands.)  There have been many valuable insights in the book, and the book itself, as a meditation on our King and His sacrifice for us, is obviously helpful and enriching.

   Speaking of Jesus' words to the "Daughters of Jerusalem," Dr. Stalker comments, "His words show that He had a comprehension of women and a sympathy with them such as had never before existed in the world."  This is a striking comment which seems either unexpected or obvious when you read it, but truly bears some thought.  If you get the book, the context gives even more to chew on.

   I have been planning to seek a deeper understanding of the Bible's teaching on women and men for a while.  It is an issue in our culture and churches, but it is also an issue of daily life.  If we will not be monks or monkettes, we must deal with men and women. And, the above comment suggests a better way to approach the study than leaping immediately into the middle of the definitions-, interpretations-, and presuppositions-debate.  It may be well to first consider the exemplary teaching of Scripture on the topic, the stories of God's interaction with gender and those of His people.  Then, within the greater framework of Scripture, it seems that we will find not only a more accurate, but, quite possibly, a more nuanced understanding of the image of God as it is revealed in male and female.

The Little Treasure

Her life is filled with joy by simple things.

 And thus, she shares her joy with us.

Who is a Husband Really?

  As our group studied through Ephesians 5 last week, we came to see the godly husband's actions and identities as summarized below.  The Husband is to treat the Wife as Christ treats His Bride, the Church.  Thus, if you watch my marriage, you should know more about Jesus and His relationship with the Church.  Jesus is the ultimate example of all that is written below, and He does this for all of God's children.  In other words, Ephesians 5 is a beautiful picture to study for both married and single people.  May we be an increasingly accurate picture of Jesus and His darling, the Church!
 PS Incidentally, biblical manhood and womanhood would be a lot more attractive if we lived like this.

Husband’s Actions: He should…	Husband’s Identities: He is to be her primary…
Love her as myself	Lover and Carer
Give myself for her	Personal Sacrificer
Sanctify her through the Word	Purifying Word-giver
Seek her purity	Watchful Cleanser
Nourish her	Thoughtful Provider
Cherish her	Intentional Delighter
Hold fast to her	Most Intimate Friend

Nuggets from Genesis

 The quote below is from an excellent book that a friend loaned me this week, and the quote below has several nuggets on Genesis which I haven't found anywhere else in the two years in which I've been doing deep study there.  I bolded the one sentence which is one of the best summaries of Genesis I've seen.

In other words, these promises assure Abraham that he and his descendants will begin to experience what Gen. 1-2 describes.  Humankind was told to be fruitful and multiply; Abraham will have descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven.  Adam was given the garden of Eden to till; Abraham is promised the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey.  In Eden, Adam and Eve enjoyed the continual presence of God; Abraham and his descendants will enjoy similar blessing and protection.  And ultimately, through Abraham and his offspring all the families of the world will find blessing.

The rest of Genesis elaborates these promises, making them richer and more comprehensive.  It also shows their gradual but progressive fulfillment. The family of Abraham slowly and with great difficulty increased in number, so that there were seventy who actually went down to Egypt.  In the course of their travels in Canaan, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob acquired small portions of the land, such as wells, burial sites, and even a hilltop near Shechem.  Throughout the sojourn they experienced God's protection and blessing, when they deserved it and when they did not.  For although Genesis shows God's promises being enhanced after acts of faith and obedience (e.g., 13:14-17; 22:16-18), these promises are not nullified by disobedience; instead, their fulfillment is delayed (e.g. ch. 16).  Ultimately, the promises rest on God's grace, not human obedience.  Human obedience, the text implies, hastens the fulfillment of these promises and increases human happiness, but God never deserts those to whom he has made the promises.

(Wenham, Gordon. "Family in the Pentateuch." Family in the Bible, edited by Hess and Carroll, pg 29)

God gives us needs to create opportunity to lavish His abundant supply upon us.

- a gem that was passed on in community group tonight

God's work in the Bible

“If one looks at the mission of God in the Bible, God wants the whole world to know him as the living God, to come into blessing of knowing him as Creator and Savior. So if the greatest possible blessing for humanity is to know the living God then the greatest possible obstacle for that is to be worshiping false gods."
- Dr. Chris Wright on this video which is really good

Four Generations: the other part

Sherrie, Bethany, Talitha, Louise, and Tabitha

How much do you want?

That Jacob knew to desire and determine to have the blessing of God, in spite of his conniving nature indicates there was some understanding of the "blessing of thy father" (Gen. 28:22).  How much we get may have something to do with how much we desire it; and yet, you look at yourself and have to ask, "Why me?"  God's sovereignty has to be involved as well.  And if He chooses to bless me abundantly above any attitude toward Him or action on my part, I can only be humbly grateful and seek to respond appropriately.

 (a lightly edited quotation from an email from my grandmother)

Four Generations

Matthew, Talitha, Jonathan and Darrell

On His Blindess by John Milton

This poem has come up several times recently due to the last line, but having re-read it, I think the poem is worth quoting and thinking about in full.

"When I consider how my light is spent

Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,

And that one talent which is death to hide

Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present

My true account, lest he returning chide,

"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"

I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent

That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need

Either man's work or his own gifts: who best

Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state

Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed

And post o'er land and ocean without rest:

They also serve who only stand and wait."

-- John Milton