The Single Girls

To any of my single girls who feel like they have something amazing to offer a man, but no men seem to choose you...I understand. It's nice to see people finding someone to spend the rest of their lives with, but sometimes you just wish that you could remind someone that it's your turn.

We may not always feel like this; sometimes we are too busy with life, jobs, church, family... Yet in those moments when you are by yourself, or when you make a really great dinner and start to think about how wonderful it would be to share your life with a Godly man, I want you to remember that you are not alone because you have nothing to offer. 

The greatest value is not beauty--or else we would all be lost, because the beauty of youth does not last. It may take a little longer until you are noticed for your finer qualities, but when you are discovered, you will be cherished beyond belief.

Even if that doesn't happen, know that there is someone somewhere who notices your worth. I look at the single girls in my life, often and think that they are amazing. They are trained and ready to be extraordinary wives, mothers and friends.

I wrote this poem a few years ago that I feel portrays the single woman's frustration. I hope that it serves you, by showing you that you are actually the perfect choice and I hope it helps you to be patient despite the evidence in front of you.

Why is it always her?

She doesn't see you the way I do.

I'm the archaeologist who discovered a rare treasure.

I'm the person who is qualified to know your true worth.

She wants you like a voyeur in an art gallery.

She likes the painting because it's hanging on the wall.

I put in the hard time like a mother,

And she came and stole you like the friends at the back of the bus.

I get all your jokes and I know their references,

Because I was in the same movie.

She was never a character in your storyline.

She's like a spinoff that never could quite capture it all again.

I always knew your talents.

I was the fan who went to all of your shows before the band got big.

She didn't even know you existed until you were on TV.

I know the full extent of the damage; every dent, leak and spot.

She has only been close enough to see the sparkly paint job and new tires.

I honoured your name when it threatened my own, at a time when I cared most about myself.

She wouldn't know that you were the last person picked for the team.

...And she wouldn't have picked you.

I am your Proverbs 31. I cook, clean and care.

You would feel secure knowing I would never fly from the nest.

I am as loyal as a golden retriever and as loving as a spaniel.

She is cute like a puppy that is happy to see anyone and wants to run free.

I could make you happier than anyone you choose for yourself.

Why is it always her and not me?

She is always served first, even though I was faithfully waiting in the line,

Waiting for you to say 'Next.'

She is always the flower your eyes are drawn to,

Even though I am the simple flower that smells exquisite when you get close.

I wish you would pick me and take a chance.

I would bet that it would be the wise choice, as unlikely as it seems for you to make it.

The Gospel As I Understand It

Nothing pains me more than the gospel changed or misunderstood. Some religions use the same words that Christians use, words like: God, repentance, grace, and resurrection. However, the words mean different things to different people. I wonder what a person from a non-church background thinks when they hear the gospel in all its biblical language. Do they give up because it’s too foreign—too much to understand? Do they understand the depth of the message, or have words like ‘repentance’ and ‘confession’ been so overused that they have become ineffectual? If I were to tell someone that Jesus said that you must believe to be saved, would they understand the depth of what the word believe means? Or would they think back to the many musicians, actors, artists, authors, motivational speakers and TV personalities who are continually saying “You must believe in yourself.” To believe in God, to them, must be like what it is to believe in yourself. I’m not sure I even know the gospel apart from the language I have learnt it in, so this will be a challenge for me. I aim to share the gospel as plainly as I can and hope that it does someone justice.

There is an intelligent being who is not like any man, or any other natural substance we know in this universe. He is not like the wind, or the sun, or the expanse of the universe; though people may compare Him to these things to show how vast His span of power covers. He does not have a start and will not have a finish. Time is a concept that only applies to things that He creates and He Himself is not subject to it.

He is not as simple as man. He is complex. He was always a Father, but not like our earthly father. He was always a Son, but He is a perfect Son, a “duplicate of the Father’s perfections” (John Piper). He is also a powerful Spirit who counsels and loves, “the eternal love that flows between the Father and the Son as they delight in each other” (John Piper). He has no body that He can be limited, for He is three persons and He is one. The Father loves His Son more than we can comprehend and the Son loves His Father equally. The Spirit is the very expression of that love and He is complete, just as the Father is complete and the Son is complete.

He is called ‘God’ to people in the Western World, but He doesn’t call Himself God (because the word itself has a possibly pagan origin). The Western World refers to this intelligent being as a ‘he’ because He chooses to reveal Himself to us in that way, though he is so much more than any gender. He calls Himself YHWH (some translate this as Yahweh and some translate this as Jehovah) and His people call Him Adonai, out of fear of the greatness of His name, which is Hebrew for ‘LORD’. It can be translated into English as ‘I am who I am,’ meaning He is self-existent.

The LORD, this intelligent being who is self-sufficient and does not need anything to be complete, decided to create—to display His glory and His love in an expression of Himself—much like how an artist paints themselves into their picture and an author writes themselves into the characters on the page. There wasn’t a world to inhabit before that point. When the LORD decided to create a world, it was created. He only had to imagine it and say the words and it came to be. He took greater care making man and actually formed the man Himself. Man was His crowning glory. After making man, the LORD said, “It is good.” What was not good though, was that man didn’t have company that suited him.

The LORD is not lonely. He is a Father, Son and Spirit. He experiences the closest relationship that we will never have. He loved this man that He had created and so He decided to create something that was an extension of the man, in the same way that the Son is an extension of the Father and the Spirit is an extension of their love for each other. But it is only a weak reflection, because the LORD cannot be anyone’s equal. So the LORD created woman. The LORD loved the man and the woman. He didn’t leave them alone in the world He had created, He chose to be with them and talk to them and involve Himself in their lives. He did not create evil, because evil cannot be born from good, but he created the potential for men to seek evil and made it part of His plan (the evil being that they could choose not to serve the LORD). With the added temptation from a serpent, the man and the woman fulfilled what the LORD knew would happen and they didn’t listen to Him when He said they should serve Him and eat from the tree of life not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (whether this is an actual tree, or metaphorical language, we don’t know). As a result of their actions, they stood before the LORD and had to confess what they had done and then he judged them. There were consequences specific to their genders, such as the man would have to toil for his food and the woman would have pain in childbirth, but there were also severe consequences for mankind in that they would now die, and the world that they lived in would die too.

The LORD is also a loving being and so He gave them some hope. He told them that there would one day be a man who would set everything right again. The man would defeat death and He would defeat all of His enemies, restoring humans into the right relationship with the LORD again. This man would be from the tribe of Kings (Judah) and He would first suffer greatly, in place of those who deserved to suffer for rejecting the LORD, but He would also be victorious and reign over all humans “every knee will bow and every person would confess that He is the LORD.”

Until that appointed time, the LORD chose a people to be His, the Jews, and elected men, known as prophets, to speak on His behalf (He would speak only to them, except in some rare instances). The LORD saw that people were struggling to be holy (to be like the LORD), so He gave them a law (a set of instructions) to follow so that they could identify when they did things that were against the LORD and change their ways. However, even with the animal sacrifices they made and rituals they performed, they could never be clean. The LORD became angry with them, for their continual disobedience and pattern of breaking the law. An even bigger betrayal was when the people started to cry out for a King to lead them and didn’t want to deal directly with the LORD anymore. The LORD gave them a King, but more often than not, the King was corrupt and didn’t lead them in the way of holiness, but led the people away from the LORD.

Israel was conquered many times, but at one point in history, when Israel was under Roman rule, roads were built connecting distant lands and peoples from all cultures were united, the LORD decided it was time to send the One—the Saviour. He needed to be a man, so the LORD chose a girl that He found worthy to bear the child. Miraculously, Mary was touched by the Holy Spirit and conceived a child without ever having sex. This child was called Jesus, but He was given the name Emmanuel by His Father which means “the LORD is with us.”

Jesus frustrated the Jewish people because He claimed to be their Messiah—their Saviour—but He wouldn’t let them crown Him as king or cause an uprising over the Roman rule. Instead, He spent most of His childhood years learning about the law in the synagogues and speaking with the teachers. He gleaned as much as He could and then went and selected some people to travel with Him and spread His message. His message to people was for them to repent and follow Him. He said, “I am the way the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He claimed that no one had seen the Father, except Him, and that the Father loved Him.

He claimed that He had come to bring life to people and that if they accepted him and confessed Him as LORD, that they would live forever. He also preached a message of judgment and told people that there would be a time when the whole world would stand before the LORD and be rewarded or punished for what they did.

Jesus spoke to people that the other Jews would not speak to and He had miraculous powers that caused unnatural things to happen, such as people being healed of sickness, even of death, and He commanded evil spirits and they obeyed him. Mostly He loved people. He spoke to them like He knew them intimately and He always told them the truth. He even told them that those who were not chosen would be cut off from the LORD forever, which meant pain and agony and everything that was not of the LORD. When Jesus had caused a big enough stir over His teachings, the Jewish leaders organized His death. They believed they had the control, but the LORD had planned it from the beginning and Jesus had even foretold it to His followers, giving details about what would happen.

Jesus died in the most brutal form of execution that there has ever been and ever will be, but the worst agony He faced was not the death itself. The worst was the pain of the Father’s wrath against the sin of the world, that Jesus took responsibility for, even though He had never done any of the evil that the humans had done and had never rejected the Father. The Father so loved the world, that He sent His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will never die but have eternal life (John 3:16). The Father punished the Son in the way that you deserve and I deserve and the Son did it willingly, albeit after much struggle. He loved the people even to His last breath, when He said “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

If that was the end of the message I carry, and all Christians like me carry, then that would be tragic. The point wasn’t just for the punishment to be dished out, but also for things to be restored—relationships to be made right. Jesus, the Son, did not remain dead. He came back to life and spoke to His followers, instructing them about how He was going to build His church (the body of people that would be His people). He told them that He would be sending someone in His place and that they should desire Him to leave so that they could know this person. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, whom He knew and loved.

When the Holy Spirit presented Himself, after Jesus ascended into the heavens (there is no other language to explain this, because no one is quite clear on what that means, aside from that the Son returned to the right hand of the Father), He was able to speak to not just a prophet, but to all men as He chose and empowered the followers of Jesus with the same miraculous abilities that Jesus had displayed. The people went from fearful, doubting men, to bold and courageous heroes. For instance, Peter, the same man who had denied Jesus whom he loved more than anyone, now shouted the message of Jesus in the face of the people he knew would kill him for saying it. Paul, the Jewish man who was killing Christians, suddenly was struck physically blind and the LORD spoke to him, confronting him about his actions, and told him to go and speak to a man who would restore his sight. Instead of just receiving his physical sight, Paul believed that Jesus was LORD and got baptized (a sacrament that John the Baptist paved the way for and Jesus instituted). Paul ended up becoming one of the most influential Christians that ever lived, writing most of the letters in the New Testament section of the bible. Then there was me. I am a girl who grew up in a family who went to church and knew this message but didn’t understand it. I didn’t understand the LORD, His sovereignty (supreme power and governing authority) or His forgiveness. I didn’t care about the fact that He died for me or about the bible. I pretended I did because I knew that I should, but mostly I just wanted to please myself. Thankfully there was a point for me, like Peter and Paul, where the LORD changed my heart and the way I thought about things, and suddenly I was a different person. I was excited about Jesus, I wanted to learn about Him and I wanted others to know about Him. I also wanted to please God and it took me a long time to realise that I couldn’t please God. The only thing that gives God pleasure is my surrender to Him.

The most important word that even leaves Christians lost in translation is the word ‘grace.’ It is one of the most important words in the bible. The bible teaches that it is by the LORD’s grace that you (Christians) have been saved “through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that none can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-10). What this tells me is something I never learned growing up, but am so thankful that I understand now. The LORD gave me faith so that I could believe in Him, and He saved me from the possibility of eternal punishment because of that faith, and none of the things I do could ever earn that. What’s more I have the Holy Spirit with me forever, as a promise. He speaks to me, comforts me, guides me and corrects me. I do not enjoy doing wrong anymore. I want to do wrong things, but I don’t enjoy it when I do it. The LORD has changed me irrevocably and I do not regret it for a second.

What’s more? The church (the followers of Jesus) have grown exponentially and now make up the largest religion in the world. Jesus gave a warning about this, though, He said, “the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14-15). Which tells me that perhaps there aren’t as many Christians as the statistics show, especially when the bible says that you will know the followers of God by their fruits (their good works) and how they love each other. A Christian is far from perfect and is being sanctified (made into a person like Jesus), but will continue to be worked on until Jesus returns.

Christians who love the LORD, desire so much for the return of Jesus because it means that they get to go ‘home.’ We feel unsettled with this life because we have received a taste of what it could be and we want more. Even though we are eager for the return of Jesus, He is not in a hurry, because He wants to give people a chance to repent—to change their mind about how they are living their lives and follow Jesus instead.

My prayer for those who may read this, even for those who may never read this, is that the gospel is clear and not confused. Jesus wants you. Jesus died for you. Jesus doesn’t need your perfection. Jesus will take anyone who’s willing. You are facing judgment. You are in danger. Give in to Him today.


REFERENCES
Piper, John. (2014). ‘The Place of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity.’ Desiring God Foundation. DesiringGod.org

Women in church

When it comes to differing views in theology I feel that sometimes people can revert back to childish methods of arguing—one attacks and then the other comes back with a comment that aims to stop the argument but doesn’t make much sense—like the “Full stop! No returns!” policy.

So, whenever the topic of women’s roles in church comes up, I brace myself for the predictable response that, sadly, a lot of Christians give. Usually it is, “that verse is just contextual. It doesn’t apply today” (referring to the verse in 1 Timothy chapter 2 where Paul admonishes the women in the church not to lead, but to learn in silence). The “no returns” part is usually delivered as, “Otherwise, if you take everything literally, women should wear veils in church too” (referring to the verse in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 where Paul admonishes the women in the church to cover their heads in worship). I have heard this conversation so many times and often it is said quite smugly, as if the person is delivering a childish, “So there!”

Perhaps that’s not always the heart behind the claim, but regardless of the motives, I have never felt sure about the argument. It’s too easy for us (Christians) to explain away the wisdom of the bible as “contextual” or “figurative” or “symbolic”—sometimes to a fault.

So as to not sound like a hypocrite, I will admit that I have used the argument myself in the past. It can seem like a lifeline response that takes away all guilt of disobedience. It’s safe to think that the reproach was just for the early Christians, “They needed that rule because they were so unruly, but we’ve got it together now so it doesn’t apply to us.” The arrogance makes me cringe—especially knowing that I spouted things like that myself not too many years ago. I resisted the submissive, gentle and quiet spirit that my own mother portrayed in my family and instead, celebrated the empowering of women, like the feminists before me. I rejoiced when my mother rebelled against my father’s wishes and was amused when she was sneaky. I did not respect her deference towards my father; I wanted power for my sex and I was prideful enough to think that we were better equipped than most men.

It was easy for me to continue in this indulgent, sinful attitude because I never read my bible completely and I allowed those arguments (mentioned above) to convince me I was in the right. I never had to confront it at church because I grew up going to more contemporary churches, which were coloured with very strong women anyway. Then something changed in me. You could call it ‘a change of heart,’ but the bible calls it ‘repentance,’ where once you thought one way, you have completely turned around to see things in a new light. It really does feel like rebirth! It began when my faith was put to the test and just like what happened to Peter, I believe God gave me over to it so that I could return stronger. As a result, I stopped reading little pieces of the bible and started devouring the whole thing. One by one, different ideas I had formed, that might not have been completely biblical, dropped off of me, to my chagrin. It was very humbling and at times I felt frightened and alone by the knowledge. Mostly, I worried that I would not be supported if I was to voice these seemingly controversial truths (at least they would seem so to the people I was surrounded by at the time), but then I remembered Jesus was boldly controversial.

The hardest false belief to let go of was that women can (or should) run the church. Then I remembered what the bible said about Eve—the fact that she led man into transgression and for that reason God gave the leadership to the man, saying that she would always have her desires achieved through him (Genesis 3:16). That was not the only place in the bible I was challenged about it, or I might have been tempted to argue, “But, surely, Jesus broke that curse and now women can be restored as the equal helper God intended them to be?”

In the letters of the apostles, in the New Testament, the men are charged to be the head of their home. This was no longer because of a curse. This was to reflect something significant that had occurred, a fulfillment of prophecy: the reigning Messiah. Jesus, who is equal with God—in fact, the exact likeness of God—submitted to the Father’s will through love. In the same way, the bible puts forward, women should submit to their husbands. It’s not a foreshadow of women during the 1950s, or even further back to ancient societies, where women were treated as slaves and could not defend or speak for themselves. It’s a reflection of the almighty God, Jesus the Christ! Women, or more specifically wives, were instructed to be like Jesus in that way. Jesus agonized over dying for the sins of mankind, but He trusted the Father enough to do what He asked of Him. This is what the bible expects of wives, to trust their husbands enough to lead even when it’s difficult. Again, that is not the only place I was challenged in the bible, or I might have been tempted to say, “That is specific to wives submitting to one man, not all men and says nothing of single women in the church.”

So that’s when I revisited the passage in 1 Timothy where Paul is explicit to Timothy, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, revealing what God expects of women (all women) in church. Now, I needed to approach this passage with care. It had a stink on it, put there by the abuse of men in my life who liked to berate women about their inferiority. However, I was also aware that it was scripture and therefore could not be ignored. I very much approached it with a sense of caution.

First of all, the passage begins with an urge for prayer in the church, which was exactly what I needed to do in order to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to me the truth in the scriptures. The urging was for prayers to be made for world leaders and then generally for all people. This is followed by a reminder of the gospel message that everything should come back to. Paul returns to the subject of prayer, in verse 8, to qualify how men should pray and then strangely jumps to a fashion lesson for women, or at least that’s how I took it at first. Upon closer inspection, reading carefully to try and understand how it connects to what has already been said, I realized that it was an instruction for women to worry more about their character than their clothing. It’s less about “what not to wear” and more about what you should do instead. In verse 10 it states, “But with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.”

That command is not there to impede women from praying, either, in case some people were wondering. I love how theologian Barnes puts it, “The nature of woman seems to be adapted to the performance of all deeds demanding kindness, tenderness, and gentleness of feeling… God seems to have formed her mind for just such things.”

That quote, for me, paints a picture of the greatest strength of women, making it clear how important it is for them to maintain that role in the church. Women are needed for their unique character traits and they have something to offer that perhaps men don’t.

And so the chapter continues…

The next warning is that women should learn in church in a quiet, submissive way. The call for the historical context of this passage does not in any way hinder the meaning of the passage; in fact, it assists it. It does not, however, excuse 21^st century women because they are in some way different. I have heard it said that the women in the church of Ephesus were babbling, talking out of turn and disrupting the service and this was why they were instructed to be silent. Not because they weren’t allowed to participate, but because they weren’t showing a respectable conduct. This is not the reason Paul gives for their silence though. He explains further in verse 12 that he “does not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather she is to remain quiet.” He qualifies this by returning to the passage in Genesis. Paul did not only address the church in Ephesus, he also made it explicit to the women in Corinth. The women in Corinth were asked to be respectful toward church leadership (1 Corinthians 14:33-35). According to R.C. Sproul, this application of a similar principle in separate settings (Ephesus and Corinth) points to its universality. 

I have often felt that most of the difficulties people have accepting this instruction come from the differing views as to how church should be structured. I recently had a conversation with someone who couldn’t understand the harm in having a woman speak in church. To which I said, “Because God calls men to lead.”

The response was enlightening: “I understand that men should lead in the home, but I don’t understand why women can’t at least speak in church?” In this modern day, church has become less about instruction and more about freedom of expression. There definitely should be room for freedom of expression, especially since the Holy Spirit gifts people in different ways, but speaking in church, according to the bible, is an important office. Perhaps we reduce it by saying “speaking” and should call it “teaching” for that is what the “speaker” is supposed to do. Paul says to Timothy “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). James also warns “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” Reading the New Testament, it becomes clear that teaching is a huge responsibility that needs to be handled delicately. The teacher is not the person with all the power, as sometimes can occur in churches, but they serve the members with their gift. The purpose of teaching? The very popular verse in 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” Then it gives closure on this in verse 17 where it says that the teaching “equips [the man of God] for every good work.”

It’s clear to me, that God requires men to teach in church, since to teach is to lead, but what does that mean for me as a woman? What am I meant to do? I am thoroughly convinced that I can learn more from the previous verses about the importance of my character, but I also know that there needs to be some clear picture of what this looks like practically. Whenever I have heard mention of Christian women in the bible, it is always in some form of service or other, they are certainly not idle or irrelevant. Paul says to the Roman church “Greet Mary who has worked hard for you” (Romans 16:6). He also makes mention of women who act as missionaries alongside their husbands (Romans 16:3,7,15) and, even at the time of Jesus when women were usually uneducated, women were entitled to learn like rabbinic students at the feet of a teacher. Paul also assumes women will prophesy (1 Corinthians 11:4-5) and speak during worship through singing or offering praise (Exodus 12:20-21; Colossians 3:16). Even though Jesus broke the mould of the involvement of women in the church, He didn’t choose women to be His apostles. Mark Driscoll said of this, that even though the Old Testament was comprised of male priests and Jesus chose twelve men as his apostles he “befriended, loved, taught, honoured, healed, and included women in his ministry—but never in a senior position of leadership.” John Piper states that it obviously wasn’t because Jesus was enslaved to His times, it was because He believed that it would be healthy for the church and the family if men “assumed the role of Christ-like, humble, caring, servant-leaders, and if the women came in alongside with their respective gifts to help carry his leadership through according to those gifts.”

Society balks at that because they try to convince people that there are no differences between men and women. I even had a University lecturer go so far as to say we cannot even claim biological differences between men and women anymore, because there are many people born with both reproductive organs, or hormones that are not usually ascribed to their sex. That is what I call a distorted perspective.

There is something compromised when women take leadership over men. This is not purely observational, although I can claim it as such. I have been regretful to sit in many churches where there are larger percentages of women in attendance and larger percentages of women in ministry. Why? I don’t have a definitive answer, but I believe it has something to do with why men can often be lazy at home (maybe they are being too ‘mothered’?). Aside from that, whenever we see women taking leadership, whether out of necessity or stubbornness, men do not. I cannot help thinking about the Israelite soldier Barak who would not go to war unless Deborah the prophetess came with them (Judges 4:9). For whatever reason, or need, Deborah was forced into a leadership capacity and it resulted in strong women but dependent men. I am not claiming that Barak was a coward, because he was indeed very fierce, but there was something wrong about his appeal; otherwise, he would have been credited with the killing of Sesera the General of the enemy’s camp instead of the woman Jael.

The final question remaining is why women would be excluded from these offices if God has gifted them for it? Paul addresses the issue of gender roles within an instruction of church structures and church offices. He doesn’t say, “I will not allow women to be ordained.” R.C. Sproul makes the point that there are different forms of authority: influential and governing. Women, by all means, can have authority in the church in the sense that they can be gifted and respected. They are just prohibited from carrying out any office that governs over the men in the church. All of us have been blessed by mothers, women missionaries and Sunday school teachers, and other females who have taught us the Word without being elders. Paul did not instruct women to be silent so that they would be inactive, he just wanted them to stop striving for power and to first learn to respect the male leaders whom God appointed to instruct them (Driscoll, 2011).

I once read in a fiction book “Paul hates women.” I was so surprised that I was almost amused. It really is important to begin to read verses about gender roles within the guidelines of how God defines them and not how society defines them. For if we believe, as society does, that there are no differences between men and women and there should be no distinction of roles, then reading those passages (that I mentioned above) are going to make people a bit squeamish. It doesn’t need to though. My first reaction upon learning about what God expects of women and men was relief. I felt relieved that it wasn’t all on my shoulders and that I could trust men to do part of the work—it was probably the first time in my life I ever trusted the male species. So I hope, if anyone reads this, they do not feel discouraged. I hope that you are able to have a similar reaction to me and can let out a sigh and trust in the good order that God set up for us.

REFERENCES
Driscoll, Mark (2011). ‘Women and Ministry.’

Piper, John (2008). ‘Should Women Become Pastors?’ Desiring God Foundation.

Sproul, R.C. (N.d.) ‘Female Authority.’ Ligonier Ministries.

Angels Christmas

"Beware that you don't despise a single one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:10).

There was something in the air that night. The stars were beginning to tremble. The wind was in a state of confusion, holding its breath in anticipation. The mountains seemed to stand taller and the rocks had a strong desire to cry out.

They could see it all clearly, their sharp eyes keenly watching as it all unfolded before them, but man was unmoved. Did he not see what was coming?

“Not yet.”

His wings covered his face and his feet, burning with the desire to spring to action.

“They just left Jericho and are heading towards Jerusalem now.”

They stood to attention but looked on closely, craving to see as much as they could without losing their place. Their eyes were glued to the woman, afraid to let her out of their sight, but other eyes were on the throne, for nothing compared to Him who sat there.

“When can we go?”

“It’s not time yet. It’s getting darker and the shepherds are just changing shifts.”

So much joy filled them at the thought of witnessing the moment of grace. They still couldn’t believe the shepherds were chosen. Most of them were still singing about it, completely astounded.

“Who’s watching the Magi?”

“We’re not taking any chances. Herod is aware of all the rumours going around and they need all the protection they can get.”

“Why do you think He isn’t sending us to them? Why the shepherds?”

“Who knows the mind of Him Who Is Great? He never does what we expect.”

“I can’t wait to see their faces!”

“Yes, but we mustn’t frighten them.”

The heavenly host were gathering and nearly all of them were in place now—itching to shout out. He was right, though, they had to be careful not to frighten the humans.

There was a collective sigh as the man and woman made it into Bethlehem. The woman was so close to giving birth. The light coming from the throne room was brighter than ever and it was hard to look away from it.

Some of them were not able to contain themselves and they had already started to sing and shout. The LORD had kept His promise to these humans and they would see how loving He was. They would worship Him once again, wouldn’t they?

“The outcasts are becoming restless. Will He destroy them tonight, do you think?”

“He won’t destroy them until He has accomplished His mission.”

“They don’t deserve our pity. They chose the side they’re on.”

An angel interrupted this debate. “The LORD be praised, the woman has reached the house!”

“Glory to God!”

“Glory!”

“Glory in the highest!”

They winced as the woman hunched over in pain, gripping her husband’s arm, not noticing the anxious look on his face. His relatives were ashamed to have them there and didn’t show them any kindness. There were already dozens of people staying there and even though Mary was pregnant, they wouldn’t give up any of the rooms. They told Joseph and Marry to sleep downstairs with the animals. Oh what they were missing with their human eyes! Some of the people looked at Mary like she was diseased—as if they might catch her sin. But Mary was highly favoured and the LORD had already prepared a place for her to rest.

“Go.” A group of angels flew down to flank Mary and Joseph, protecting them in secret.

Just outside of Bethlehem the shepherds were looking up at the night sky. It was so much brighter tonight than any other night. The shepherds were already sensing that something was going on. One of them looked like he might wake the other.

The temple priests were asleep; enjoying the restful sleep of the proud. How outrageous that they kept their distance from the shepherds, whom they considered to be unclean, when they were unclean inside. The angels could not understand how they could be so mistaken. Any wonder the LORD had overlooked them.

“LORD let us bring your justice now!” How they longed to avenge their master for the image that these people distorted of Him. Slander, malice, lies!

“VENGEANCE IS MINE. I WILL REPAY.”

Then in their minds they could see it unfolding as it was prophesied. A great, epic battle. The LORD standing mightily on His mountain and people fleeing from Him, trembling with fear. The whole earth coming to pieces, ridding itself once and for all of the curse of sin.

Then the LORD reminded them, in His gentle, discerning way, of another picture; of the great Heavenly Host gathering the elect from all over the world, even those who had already died a physical death, with the victorious sound of a trumpet. What a sight that would be! God’s chosen…

The priests had not yet heard the rumours of the arrival of the Messiah, but the so-called holy men in Nazareth had ridiculed Mary‘s family when the story had come out and called Joseph every sort of fool for not stoning her like he should have for her “infidelity”. The angels burned with indignation at the false accusations thrown at the poor young girl.

A number of days passed swiftly, bringing an even deeper anticipation for the coming of the Messiah. Soon it was hard to hear anything in the heavens aside from the angelic chorus.

The angels observed that Joseph struggled to trust the LORD for the safety of his wife, but they knew that after she gave birth, his faith would be restored.

Suddenly, Mary cried out. She woke Joseph. He put his arm around her, half asleep. She cried out again. Joseph sprang up in bed.

“What is it, Mary? Are you in pain?” They heard his fragile, human voice ask.

“Joseph! He’s coming. He’s coming!” Then she began to pant.

The LORD sent more angels down to watch over her, knowing that the enemy would choose her moment of weakness to attack her. The outcasts of heaven were barred entry into her birthing chamber.

Every labour saddened the angels, for it reminded them of the first man and woman who had been cursed for their rejection of the LORD. Eve was the first woman to be punished for her sins through the pain of childbirth. Some of the angels had taken delight in her pain though, only to receive the wrath of God come down upon them. They trembled just to remember it.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” Mary was sobbing now.

They were not afraid for her, for they had witnessed this many times. However, an angel whispered softly into Mary’s ear about the goodness of God and how He gives grace to those who need it. “He hears every cry.”

“Shall I get some attendants? Mary?” Joseph whispered to her, frantically.

When Mary could not answer him, Joseph made a quick decision and ran upstairs, crying out for help.

As the women rushed to Mary’s side and helped her to sit up into the birthing position, the angels in heaven all of a sudden went completely still and silent. This was it. The LORD incarnate. The King of Kings come to earth as a human. It was staggering, astounding, unbearably magnificent!

A few curious relatives stood nearby to watch. They didn’t believe Mary’s story about her miraculous conception, but they were still curious to see her baby. They whispered amongst themselves, speculating.

Joseph, as per the custom, was removed from the birthing room and paced anxiously in another room.

She was pushing. Mary was pushing! Shouts erupted in the heavens as a head came into sight. She pushed again and his head was finally out.

“Come on. One more push and it will all be over,” an attendant assured her.

Mary was tired and in agonizing pain. She didn’t know if she could push again. But after another contraction hit, she bore down and gave an almighty yell as she pushed the baby out.

The throne room was brighter than ever as the baby cried for the first time and everyone was rejoicing.

“It’s time,” the command came. “Go!”

He flew down to the fields where the shepherds were watching the sheep. His presence woke them all up. He tried as much as he could not to frighten them, but he knew that they wouldn’t know what to make of him and would be afraid anyway.

How could you explain the glory of an angel? Some had compared them to jewels. Some, a blazing fire. Others saw their own humanity exaggerated. They could not be mistaken for mere mortals, however, since they shone with the glory of heaven and their voices were as loud as a multitude.

The angel attempted to reign back his excitement for a moment, working to keep his voice soft for human ears. He spoke the words that the LORD had given him to say and delivered them humbly. “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.”

The shepherds were finally able to look at him, though they still trembled, and now their mouths dropped open in astonishment.

“And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” That was the end of his speech and he felt the victory in it. He knew that these words would be repeated over and over throughout time. He hoped that every man who said them would be as amazed as he was.

“Is this a dream?” One shepherd muttered.

“If it is,” another piped up, “we’re both having the same one.”

Suddenly the rest of the angels were standing beside him praising God with the best human words they could use.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

They knew the shepherds would be having a moment of humility, such as they had never experienced before, as they contemplated this divine message.

The priests slept soundly in their beds, not having been awakened by the noise—missing out on the greatest honour ever given. For the LORD had chosen the weak, the unclean, the lowest of the low. He had announced the greatest news ever given to an unlikely people and yet…the angels were able to see more of His goodness in that act. The LORD was glorified by making the weak strong.

The angels couldn’t wait to return to surround the throne of Him whose train was so mighty that it filled the whole room. They knew that He would take delight in what had occurred tonight and anything that made Him happy, made them happy.

Some were instructed to stay behind, though, to accompany the shepherds as they visited Mary. They weren’t sure why they were still needed, but they trusted that God had a purpose.

The angels were no longer visible, but perhaps the Shepherds felt them nearby?

“Let’s go and see the baby!”

“I can’t believe the Messiah has finally come.”

“Are you sure it’s the Messiah?”

“How can you doubt after what we just saw? God has told us.”

They gathered up their things, leaving only their young apprentice behind, to watch the sheep, and they made their way into the town of Bethlehem. They were so excited that they didn’t even notice the derisive looks from people as they walked through the town in their dirty clothing, the smell of animals wafting from them. They asked around if anyone had heard of a baby being born and placed in a manger. Some people scoffed at them and told them to go back to their sheep, but they persisted.

The further they got into town, something changed in the air. There was a crowd outside a house and the shepherds rushed over. They pushed past everyone to get through and saw a young girl and her husband sitting beside a manger, where there was indeed a baby lying in swaddling clothes. All of their doubts were removed upon this sight and they could not contain themselves. The shepherds bowed down before the baby, overwhelmed. They told Mary and Joseph what the angels had told them, babbling with excitement.

The people that were gathered around them began to murmur and speculated about whether the shepherds were telling the truth.

The angels weren’t watching the people though. It all became clear as they saw something change on Mary’s face. Her eyes softened and she let out a gentle sigh, quivering slightly. As the shepherds spoke, tears filled her eyes and she listened intently to every word.

“Thank you,” she said to the shepherds, but the angels could feel that she was also thanking the LORD for this confirmation. He was faithful. Mary now knew that eight days later when she circumcised her son, she could confidently call him Jesus, the name given to her by the angel that had visited her, for she had no doubts anymore that he really was the Saviour.

Far away, in the East, some men were studying the stars and they noticed something unusual. A star that did not fit in any of the constellations.

“Read it to me again.”

He cleared his throat. “A star shall come out of Jacob; a scepter shall rise out of Israel.”

“You were right.”

He laughed. “You mean the prophecy is right.”

“We must leave at once.”

As they packed their things they couldn’t help feeling joyful. The angels watching them shared a smile, anticipating what would happen next.

“What do you mean you’ve found the King of the Jews?” Herod demanded. Then remembering himself he visibly attempted to calm down. “Am I not the King?”

“Indeed, my Lord, you are the King, but surely you have heard of Balaam’s prophecy?” The prophecy claimed that there would be a special star, used by God to announce the Saviour’s birth to this world. He would be a King who would rise up and defeat God’s enemies. He would, one day, rule the world.

King Herod scowled at them. “You are Perisans. What do you care about such prophecies?”

“My Lord, we may reside in Persia, but I assure you, we believe in the God of Abraham and Isaac, and in the Messianic prophecies of Daniel.”

The angels watching could see that the King was troubled, but he covered it well. When the wise men had left his presence he summoned the priests and scribes in the middle of the night and demanded answers. He wanted to know where the Christ was supposed to be born. His eyes were crazed with the desire to find this King before anyone else and put a stop to all the murmurings. However, all his scribes could come up with was that the child would be born in Bethlehem.

“It says here, ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel’.”

“Is it true about the star?”

“It’s true, my Lord.”

It wasn’t only Herod who was anxious. All of Herod’s friends were alarmed because they had profited from his reign and feared what would happen to them if his government was overturned. They began to make plans.

The angels were disgusted by the greed they saw in Herod and decided to keep a close eye on him.

In the morning Herod sent for the Magi and told them, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

The Heavenly Host were making plans too. They had been instructed by God to remain hidden, but to keep watch over the Magi.

“The LORD is going to warn the wise men.”

“Did He say that we should speak to them?”

“No. He will give them a dream and tell them to follow the star. We should only watch from a distance.”

“Follow the star? What does that mean?"

The other angel leaned in and spoke conspiratorially. “It’s going to move. The star is going to direct them to the Saviour.”

“Miraculous! How great is our God!”

The Magi continued to keep watch over the stars, waiting to see if there would be a change. They kept their ears to the ground also, in case any rumours reached them of a miraculous birth. For weeks they heard nothing. The sky was as mysterious and silent as ever.

Then, one night, they noticed the star had shifted.

“Impossible,” one of the men muttered.

“And yet, so it is.”

“Perhaps we were mistaken? Maybe it wasn’t the fulfillment of prophecy. Maybe it’s just a shooting star?”

He scoffed at him. “My good man, a shooting star does not take weeks to move! This is his star.”

“Then we should follow it. Perhaps this is our ‘glory cloud!’” He said excitedly.

They took turns using the astrolabe and conferred about which direction to head next. Finally, they came to a decision. “It’s South, not West like we thought.”

“To Jerusalem then?” He sounded hesitant.

“Well, it does make sense the Messiah would be in the holy city.”

They made the necessary arrangements to assemble together an entourage for the long journey from Judea to Jerusalem. They needed servants, armed guards, supplies for the whole company, and, of course, gifts for the holy child. Finally, they were ready and set out on their much anticipated quest.

The angels were ready to pay honour to this King of Kings, too. “This is the final visit. Humans will talk about this for ages to come.”

“Why, when the grace our LORD showed to the shepherds was so much more astounding?”

They all shook their heads in confusion.

When the Magi found the holy baby, they were moved by what they saw and heard and overwhelmed that their journey had produced such a find! They immediately bowed down and worshiped him, showering him with gifts and blessings from their mouths.

Somewhere nearby, a company of angels were bowing too.

“Joseph,” the angel called, his mouth felt funny saying the strange human word.

The man stirred, but did not wake.

He called him again. “Joseph.”

The LORD stopped him. Oh. He was to tell Joseph in a dream.

He cleared his throat and spoke near the man’s ear. “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

Joseph’s sleep suddenly became restless and he was moaning.

The angel froze as Joseph sat up with a gasp.

He waited. Then Joseph bellowed. “Mary!”

Far away, the angry shout of a king could be heard as he realized he had been thwarted. “Find him! Kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem!”

The outcasts were gnashing their teeth in anger too, when they saw the man and the woman slipping away with the holy child.