This God's Been Good Monday is Part 3 of "The Calling of a Woman" from Rebecca's Reflection. I hope this is an encouragement to everyone as it was to me! Be sure to check back next week for Part 4!
(As I begin to write this post, I must admit that I feel somewhat unqualified to do so. I am not yet married, therefore, I do not speak from my own personal experience. However, I can speak with conviction from the authority of the Word of God. I also feel that the content of this post is necessary to set the stage for my next one. )
The woman was created with a distinct purpose. I do not believe that her creation was an afterthought of God. He, in His sovereignty, knew that man would need a wife. The Lord made a woman perfectly equipped to be the helper of the first man. And just as He created Eve specifically for Adam, the Lord gives a man the exact woman whom He has specially prepared to be his wife today.
From the very beginning, God had a special purpose for the woman. He had an important job for her to do--a special calling for her to fulfill. As I look through the pages of the Word of God, the responsibilities and priorities of a woman are clearly given to all women who desire to be what He intended for them to be.
The Creation of the Woman
After creating Adam, the Lord saw that he needed a wife. He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone." God made Eve for the specific purpose of being Adam's wife. But this was not a purpose which was limited to Eve alone. In I Corinthians 11:8, 9, we read: "For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." The creation of the woman had a specific purpose: she was created for the man.
The Job of the Woman
As was mentioned in my last post, an important responsibility of the woman is to be a help that is "suitable" to her husband. The Lord said of Adam, "I will make him an help meet for him." He then made a woman that was especially equipped to meet the needs of man. And just as Eve was a help meet for Adam, so women today are given the privilege of being a helper to their husbands.
The Role of the Woman
Regardless of the feminist mindset of most women today, God still commands that women submit to their husbands. "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (Ephesians 5:22-24)."
The Rewards of the Woman
If a woman is physically able to have children, she is given the wonderful privilege of being a mother when she marries. Contrary to the opinions of some, children are blessings from the Lord, and they should be received as such. They should never be viewed as burdens, hindrances or "career interruptions". The Lord says in His Word: "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. . . (Psalm 127:3-5a)." (Why would anyone desire to limit the number of "rewards" the Lord desires to give him?)
The Ministry of the Woman
A woman's primary focus should be her home and family. Titus 2:5 admonishes the older women to teach the younger women to be "keepers at home." "Keepers at home" is actually just one Greek word which means "one who looks after domestic affairs with prudence and care." Quite frankly, I think that it is a little difficult for a woman to truly be a "keeper at home" while working a job outside the home. Proverbs 31 also makes it very clear that the woman should concentrate her attention on serving in her home.
In my next post, I will return to my original question of a woman's calling: Is a woman called to a man or to a ministry (or to another occupation)? I will do my best in explaining my position and the basis for my conviction.
(As I begin to write this post, I must admit that I feel somewhat unqualified to do so. I am not yet married, therefore, I do not speak from my own personal experience. However, I can speak with conviction from the authority of the Word of God. I also feel that the content of this post is necessary to set the stage for my next one. )
The woman was created with a distinct purpose. I do not believe that her creation was an afterthought of God. He, in His sovereignty, knew that man would need a wife. The Lord made a woman perfectly equipped to be the helper of the first man. And just as He created Eve specifically for Adam, the Lord gives a man the exact woman whom He has specially prepared to be his wife today.
From the very beginning, God had a special purpose for the woman. He had an important job for her to do--a special calling for her to fulfill. As I look through the pages of the Word of God, the responsibilities and priorities of a woman are clearly given to all women who desire to be what He intended for them to be.
The Creation of the Woman
After creating Adam, the Lord saw that he needed a wife. He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone." God made Eve for the specific purpose of being Adam's wife. But this was not a purpose which was limited to Eve alone. In I Corinthians 11:8, 9, we read: "For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." The creation of the woman had a specific purpose: she was created for the man.
The Job of the Woman
As was mentioned in my last post, an important responsibility of the woman is to be a help that is "suitable" to her husband. The Lord said of Adam, "I will make him an help meet for him." He then made a woman that was especially equipped to meet the needs of man. And just as Eve was a help meet for Adam, so women today are given the privilege of being a helper to their husbands.
The Role of the Woman
Regardless of the feminist mindset of most women today, God still commands that women submit to their husbands. "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (Ephesians 5:22-24)."
The Rewards of the Woman
If a woman is physically able to have children, she is given the wonderful privilege of being a mother when she marries. Contrary to the opinions of some, children are blessings from the Lord, and they should be received as such. They should never be viewed as burdens, hindrances or "career interruptions". The Lord says in His Word: "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. . . (Psalm 127:3-5a)." (Why would anyone desire to limit the number of "rewards" the Lord desires to give him?)
The Ministry of the Woman
A woman's primary focus should be her home and family. Titus 2:5 admonishes the older women to teach the younger women to be "keepers at home." "Keepers at home" is actually just one Greek word which means "one who looks after domestic affairs with prudence and care." Quite frankly, I think that it is a little difficult for a woman to truly be a "keeper at home" while working a job outside the home. Proverbs 31 also makes it very clear that the woman should concentrate her attention on serving in her home.
In my next post, I will return to my original question of a woman's calling: Is a woman called to a man or to a ministry (or to another occupation)? I will do my best in explaining my position and the basis for my conviction.
Have a great Monday!
.JPG)
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