Life from this hour being made whole in his power

Women of God

11/02/2024
Eve, as the world's first lady, should form a wonderful vision of what the ideal relationship would be. Just think of it. She and Adam walked with God everyday, no distractions. More than that, their time was scarcely occupied with the raising of kids. Therefore they were free to serve God however they would. Perhaps it's not quite what Paul had in mind for the unmarried who was free to serve and the married with a mind to please her own husband. You might wonder then what has just happened. How could this perfect family life of walking with the Lord and following in his commands have turned bad so quickly. Genesis 3:3 it seems tells the whole story.

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

See, it might be so easy and tempting to blame it on the snake for all the chaos that followed. Sure, Eve couldn't quite resist getting hit by temptation. But then again two half truths and a white little lie never hurt anyone did it. Even there were the seeds of the harvest already planted. How much rather ought we to trust God to guide us in all the problems in life. Rather than that though we lean unto our own understanding and say a prayer for the rest. So it was though that Eve ran on empty and missed what God said. There is seen a certain danger when walking with God to miss out on where he is leading. Eve found the same to be true, lured by sin and attracted by evil. More than that, she really wished for God's place or even one of her own. For that she reached out to what should not be grasped, his place, and found herself eaten up of the situation. What a far cry from the woman of 1 Timothy 5:13 sitting at home minding her business.

 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 

Perhaps you have not a family of your own. Maybe you are feeling the lack of God's provision and you wonder if he is still there or even cares. See, it's oh so wonderful to preach that God is there in the good times when all is peace and plenty. But what of the bad times, is he not the God of those as well. It is in times like these that your belief is being put to the test. So often people speak of being willing to sacrifice all for God after the fashion of Abraham and Isaac. I can almost see the scene now, how obediently Isaac trotted behind Abraham as led to the altar. But oh my friends, if you had only seen the disorder in the house before. How many of you know that God is a God of second chances. If you mess up he can still use you. Still Matthew 4:7 says to put not the Lord to the test.

Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

In other words, do not deliberately go back to Egypt to the land where you served them and were held in bondage just so the Lord can rescue you back out. His power limitless my friends and reign undefeated. But do you really want to make him chase you all the way back? He might not be so gentle nor yet so kind about it the next time, my friends. He is the good Father, better even than Melchizedek. Yet imagine this. Abraham faced the test where he had so often failed before. Could God be trusted to bring him back through. More than that, could he yet trust him to turn the situation around. Just think of all he brought us through. ... Says when you pass through the fire and the water they will not overwhelm you nor will the flame kindle upon your clothes. Tell me now, what sort of woman does so deliberately making her children pass through the fire as consequence of her own actions. Yet so Sarah did such before the Lord got a hold of her as told of in 1 Peter 3:6. 

Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

That is why the little statement of fact "whose children you are" is the scariest nearly in all Scripture. Surely God would have provided a better mother even than that. Then what of her example. So Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him lord, how many know he was not even her Lord to begin with. How much ought she to have rather fallen down at his feet as with Mary crying my Lord and my God rather than be taken in spiritual adultery. You all know what that is, putting another in the husband's rightful position. Yet here Sarah puts her husband in God's rightful position so the Lord in essence is telling his people that. Yet how often do we put something else in God's rightful position whether our husband, our children, our positions, or even that certain rebellious cherubim. Far better that than being taken in adultery as was Hagar, yet still was she taken nonetheless being found with nothing left. Of him then found she mercy, the One that she feared who sat always ready and waiting to receive. Oh, my friends better to be received of him than the whole house to be lost. For if the goodman of that house had kept watch, he would not have suffered it to be destroyed. When you think of Sarah's life, consider what all she had missed. Here was a woman who forsook all for the pleasures of the present time. She also reflected her husband who did whatever it took to obtain a blessing. What a far cry from the couple who once took a stranger and sheltered him in. Herein lies the danger of trying to seize God's promises all for yourself or trying to continue without trusting the Lord.


 

Even so, what a state her house reaped. How many of you know that even when you are lost, down, and out yet are you not too far gone for the Lord. So Samuel's mother once found as she prayed to the Lord. She like Paul had been in watchings more frequent, in labors abundant, and fastings always although perhaps not yet drowned in the deep. Although when you know the Lord he not only keeps you from it but also brings you through it unharmed. Such is a wonderful promise to catch hold of. Indeed to know that he is your comfort in hard times or a present help in the time of trouble. Well might such a house have some trouble with one wife loved and the other despised, so it seemed. It would be so easy here to rag on Daniel's father who still loved the Lord. Yet perhaps such would be to no purpose. Here Hannah found her comfort in the staying power of God. Remember, the same power who called you is also able to keep you. That is just the case here. Far better to trust all the ways to the Lord in cases like this than to try and straighten things out by yourself. Time has already shown how that has turned out with the other woman being one of Sarah's own children. Yet Hannah used not her power to get and keep other stuff. Rather only vindication and healing she sought as she took her own portion at the hands of the Lord. Notice how Elkanah is but a poor representation yet so unlike the Father God himself. Could it be the Lord doesn't suffer any such nonsense though perhaps some of us do. The issue is then not with two wives, though perhaps that too is highly debatable. Rather it should be seen in the misrepresentation of the glory of God which allowed such disorder to creep in the first place. Remember the story before of Sarah and Hagar how one was well-fed and happy and the other one hated. Wrestling then for the title of favored then was a struggle in which it was clear there was only one winner. Just as the Lord is not like either man, so neither should his people be as either woman. Though when it comes to the Lord he shares not his glory with any nor even his rightful position. All Hannah asked for was for grace given her position. How wonderful it is that the same God who answers is the same God who listens. It seems then that Samuel forms a rare example of a gift given back to the Lord. 


So it seems that her legacy came along with some bitter fruit. Ruth, once a stranger to the land, came back with Naomi childless and alone. In all was she faithful although without. The question then was asked put to the mother-in-law of how to catch the man of her choice and to keep him well. See, she found one so called Boaz, one of her near family kinsmen though perhaps she knew it not. How good God is to make arrangements for times such as these. Noami told her to go up at night to the threshing floor where he slept and uncover his feet and there to lay down. Should it be that he spread his protection over her and left her alone, that then would be taken as a sign of his heart being in the right place. Sure enough, when the next morning had come, it found him in the city gates arguing for first right to take her deceased husband’s place. Ruth is perhaps the best example of a bad situation turned around for good, one that brought great blessing along with it. As told of in Proverbs 31, she worked bringing in the harvest, managed her husband’s business, cared for her mother-in-law and plotted the affairs of her house before they had even arose. Sure enough, dawn found her husband to be in the city gates as other spoke well of himself, a habit he enjoyed well throughout the rest of his life. Ruth it seems plotted not for her husband’s destruction as some would. Rather she sought only to build him up and keep the affairs of her house well. I can only imagine that her faithfulness went well rewarded when it came time to have child. So well does history regard this one, Ruth, that she appears near the genealogy for the Messiah as one with her own story to tell. Found so faithful of all her house, I can only imagine what raising God-fearing children have been like. She might have been a stranger within the land yet at no time was she ever cast out to God. Indeed, Proverbs 31:30-31 has this to say of her.


Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.


Had ruth been one of our modern women, I have a feeling she might have lain with the man creating a child and a rumor that same night rising up to destroy all he had lest happily by some chance she should be found married of him. Such is not of God, my friends. Then again, suppose there is unfaithfulness in the marriage or even an unbeliever. That is all well fine and good for the unbeliever should the spouse wish to remain. To avoid being unequally yoked though and all the trials that come along with it, Scripture allows for divorce. What it does not allow though is the running of a husband and wife back together after other persons have been seen. This forms the second ground then for a breakup, that of adultery. Just imagine what would happen should the two parties stay and worked things out. See, God is not slack concerning his promises nor is his hand shortened from being able to save. There is room then in the want and the lack for the light of his presence to come on back in. So it all begins from a right view of himself as we learn how to walk again. Then in him we start to abide as the young learn to toddle then crawl. Shortly after follows how we treat ourself and those around us which spills right on into the husband’s domain. Shortly after, Hannah is seen as a woman being put back together followed by Ruth who walks with the Lord in the life she has now made. But it’s more than just making is it not. Rather a certain abiding in domains of spiritual and physical life is yet to be seen. So 1 Peter 3:1-5 encourages all found in this life.
 

1 Peter 3:3-5

Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear

Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 


Notice the situation here wherein is found the test. The wife told of at the beginning seems to be as one of those in bondage. Yet is she really. perhaps Heavens view is needed. Moreso it requires the Lord's help to adjust the view to see such clearly. Here the promise is given of a husband being won by the speech. Such is what we are doing now, is it not. Think of it as some kingdom training if you will or in other words how to give your poor dear husband a pill. Just so as some of us at times suffer disease so too do our husbands suffer some things they rather ought not. How the pill of God's Word is needed to clear that situation up. Yet if they will not obey or in any way hear such, then comes the wife to hear what God has to say. Notice in the text how she hides these things in her everyday speech. Meanwhile the husband is listening, foods on the table, the children are fed. It seems then that nothing is wanted unto every good work. Yet where is the man of God with his Word. They are coming it seems after seeing it all put in action. It seems then such chaste conversation has been to some effect. Notice how the woman avoids coming right out saying 'you're wrong.' Perhaps if I know ought of the text, speaking the Word is the best way to keep the hearers thereof from doing a thing. Maybe such things ought not to be. But it's up to God to judge such you see and usher the disorder forth from his house. Herein does the fear of God come creeping back in where it belongs. See, we are in such a rush, yet could it be God is allowing for something, even that of your sanctification. It is nothing more, nothing less than the goodness of God which leads to repentance. See, it's nothing to be despised at all. Perhaps though some do, not fully understanding the reasons thereof. See too how the adorning happens as it quietly starts from within. For there it spreads even outward as though anointing upon even the men, that of unity poured out at the hands of the Lord. So will we too be holy, set apart, chosen vessels as unto the Lord, in beauty and grace with nothing wanted and nothing left out. How God is good to his children my friends.