Created and Blessed

Male and Female.

Created by God.

Blessed.

Let us not forget this.

Loving Again

I can't imagine what it is like to have lost a child. To have one that you nurtured and loved so deeply torn from you. What joy the birth of Seth must have brought to Eve. Not in that he was a replacement for Abel but in that she found herself to still have the capacity for love. What a blessing it is that even in the shadow of loss, we can still love!

Same Kind of Different

Eve had now given birth to her second son. Like most mothers, I'm sure she appreciated how different her children were. Was it their natural bent that set them on the path of Cain working the ground and Abel raising the flock or was it simply out of necessity? Two sons, same parents, different.

Creating

Finally, we read how Adam and Eve have gotten around to the business of being fruitful and multiplying. Yet, because of sin, all Eve can think about is how she's become like God. We should rejoice not when we see the fruits of our sin realize, but when we see the fruit of what we were creat d for realized.

Clothing

It's that time of year. Back-to-school shopping time. I have memories from when I was young of shopping for school clothes. Mom might pick,out something that I thought was downright ugly and I never wanted to wear. She would remind me that it was something I needed.

Adam and Eve's attempt at clothing themselves didn't work out. It may have covered them (just barely) but it wasn't going to be enough in the world outside the garden. God took them shopping. Here, wear this. It may not have been what they wanted, but it was what they needed.

God loves us and provides for us. I'll remember that as I walk through my day.

Living One

She's not just woman. She has a name. Eve. Living One. Life Giver.min Hebrew, her name is even contained within the name of the great I Am.

Are you alive or are you just existing? Do you give life to those around you or do you suck the life out of them?

Dear reader, God wants you to have life to the fullest. He wants you to bring life to those around you. Live vividly. You are the living one.

Curses!

It doesn't seem like too long ago that we read be fruitful and multiply. But now, after the fall, we are left with the curse. Multiplying will be painful. Instead of complete harmony between husband and wife, there will be discord. If we keep our eyes on ourselves and try to control our husbands, we won't be satisfied. But, if we and our husbands keep our eyes on Christ, we can know harmony!

Hiding

We sin. We want to hide from God. We know that God can see us; but still we try to hide. We know God will find us; but still we hide.

It is, of course, better to not have sinned in the first place, but when we do, we should be quick to confess our sin and repent. Isn't it better for us to run to God for forgiveness than for him to come looking for us?

Open Eyes

Adam and Eve sinned and their eyes were opened. They realized they were naked and they covered themselves. God had created them naked and they covered themselves.

What about how God created you are you trying to cover up? Do you feel shame about how you're made and dress to minimize it? Do you dress to impress so that people don't notice something about you?

You are beautiful. God created you to be special and unique. Embrace it. Don't hide it.

But It Looks Good

It's a battle we're still fighting. I know I don't need to have dessert tonight, but oh that piece of pie just looks scrumptious. It won't hurt me. Will it?

I know the speed limit is only 35 here, but I'm running late. It won't hurt if I speed just a little.

We all do things that we know we shouldn't do. It may look good. It may feel good. We may think we're going to receive a benefit from doing it. But we know it's wrong.

When we do something God told us not to do, we sin. We may think we gain some short-term benefits, but it separates us from God. In doing so, we may lead others astray.

“But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:9 NET

http://bible.com/107/1jn.1.9.net

Questioning God

Are there voices in your life that are trying to get you to question God?

Is there anything trying to get you to doubt your personal relationship with Him?

Is something making you not remember what He has said?

Curl up in your favorite cozy place and open up your Bible. Remember who He is. Remind yourself of your relationship with Him. Meditate on His truth.

He is there for you. Be with Him!

Naked

Naked and innocent.

Exposed but not vulnerable.

Neither ashamed nor embarrassed.

Free from fear. Free from fear of exploitation.

Man. Woman. Very good!

Woman

She shall be called "Woman".

Woman. From the Hebrew 'ishshah. Female. Wife. Woman.

Being called Woman is a good thing. Woman is distinct from Man. Woman is, of course, very good.

She was taken out of Man. Taken. Fetched. Laid hold of. Snatched. Seized. Received. Acquired. The same word for taking a wife is used for the woman being taken out of man. It sounds violent. It sounds forceful. This woman who was taken out of a man. Creating a woman was deliberate. Creating a woman took action.

Celebrate Woman.

Call out Woman.

Be Woman.

The Lord God Made A Woman

Woman, God made you.

You are intentional in your design.

Made from a part taken out of a man, but separate and distinct from the man.

Brought to the man not for subjugation, but to show the completeness of God's creation.

Woman, God made you. It is very good!

Not Alone

Have you ever tried to be fruitful and multiply by yourself? It doesn't work.

God designed us to not be alone. We were designed to have a companion - not just a helper, but someone who is indispensable to us - to walk through life with us.

How precious is it to have found your companion? How wonderful is it to have found the one who corresponds to you? Ladies, know that your husband fills needs for you that you cannot fill on your own. Remember too, dear readers, that you meet needs for your husband that he cannot meet on his own.

God Blessed Them

When God created man and woman, he did not want them to be alone. He made them fertile and bade them fill the earth. Be fruitful and multiply. Make a family. Make this world your home. Enjoy it all because it is God's blessing for you!

In His Image

We were created in God's image.

We were created to reflect God's character.

We were created to show what God is like to this world.

Men, women, boys, girls... We were all created in God's image.

We all may show God's image differently, but we all show God's image.

Thank you Father, that I was created in your image!

Can't Buy Me Love

Love is utterly amazing.

Love is able to withstand anything life can throw at it.

Surging waters? Love will stand!

Floodwaters? Love is not overwhelmed.

Aches and pains? Love is there.

A broken heart? Love longs to comfort and heal.

Love is a treasure beyond compare. Love cannot be bought.

Nothing can separate you from God's Love!

Delight

You can't help but notice that Solomon takes delight in his bride. Her legs, her breasts, her neck, her hair, Solomon delights in it all. Does it make you perhaps a little jealous because no one looks at you like that?

God delights in you. He may not give you spoken affirmations of how He delights in you. Nevertheless, He greatly delights in you.

If you knew how much He delights in you, would it affect how you go about your day? Does ther mere thought of how much your Lover loves you bring a smile to your face? Does knowing that you'll spend time with your Lover today make you want to jump out of bed and get ready for the day?

Go forth and let your Lover delight in you. Rejoice and delight yourself in Him.

Belonging

To long for something is to have an earnest or strong desire for it.

To belong is to be in relationship to it.

Longing for your lover is fulfilled in belonging to your lover.

As we belong to Christ, He, too, belongs to us.

We long to be in relationship with Christ. He has longed to be in relationship with us.

Dear reader, there is nothing we have to do but to accept this. Christ alone has done the work to make our relationship with Him possible.

Accept Him as your Lover. You belong to Him and He belongs to you.

Lovesick

How do you feel when you're not spending time with Christ? Does life keep you busy enough that you don't even notice that you're not spending time with Him? I confess that sometimes that's me. When I focus on Him and remember all that He is and all that He has done for me, I long to spend time with Him. I eagerly desire to spend time with Him and when I cannot, I want to be lovesick.

Beautiful

What does God see when He looks at you?

Does He see the beauty of a life devoted to Christ or does He see the ugliness of sin?

Does He see fear in your eyes or does He see peace and joy?

Does He see you saving yourself for Him are you exposed before the world?

Does He see you wound up tight trying to project a specific look or does He see you free?

Dear reader, let your Lover see your beauty!

Waiting and Waiting

He is coming. You know that. But yet He hasn't returned yet. The waiting continues. And yet as you wait for Him, let your longing grow. He is coming. He is faithful. He is the lover of your soul. So I wait. I long. He is coming!

Protector

Are you aware of what is trying to ruin you? We can know that the devil doesn't want ypu to follow Christ. We know that there are people n this world who want to divert your attention from God's plan. You may have temptations and pet sins that turn your heart from Christ. Call out to Him. Ask Him to catch the foxes. His is your lover. He is your protector.

Shade

Jesus is unique. There is no doubt about it. He is God who took on human form to,save us. Fully God. Fully man. There is n other like Him. Do you rest in His shade? He provides rest. He offers protection. Do you eat of His fruit? He is sweet. He nourishes you. He is the Bread of Life. Go a head and have a taste!

Anticipation

What do you do when you are preparing to be with God? Do you just say "Here I am. Take me as I am." That's OK. Or do you take time to prepare your heart? Do you examine your heart and confess your sin? Do you have a special place that you go to be free from distractions? Remember, nothing that you do makes you more acceptable to God - Jesus did that for you. But there is much you can do to make yourself ready to receive what He has to offer. The lover of your soul awaits you, dear reader. Are you ready for Him?

Follow My Flock

Sometimes, you don't always know where God is leading you. There may be many different voices calling out to you as to which way to go. How do you know which to listen too?

One thought is to find a church that you know is following Christ and to join with them. As you find where God is using them, maybe you'll find where God is leading you.

Passionate Kisses

How do you long for Jesus? Do you long for Him as a bride longs for her groom? Do you long for Him as a wife longs for her husband? Or is Jesus love for you something that you just take for granted? Do you know that He loves you, but it doesn't have much influence on your day-to-day life?

Jesus loves you passionately. He wants your heart - all of it. He wants to be the first you think of when you rise in the morning. He wants to be your last thought as you lay down to sleep. He longs to be with you and wants you to long to be with Him.

Lord Jesus, help me to long for You and to love You passionately. May You not be something that distracts me from life, but may You be the lifeblood coursing through my veins. May You be that which sustains me moment by moment.

Ever Learning

I don't ever want to think I know it all. I don't ever want to think that there is nothing more that God can teach me. I don't ever want to get to the point where I open His word and there is nothing more for me.

O a God, keep teaching me. Keep making me more like You. Help ,ento learn from Your word and to praise you as I do so.

Seven

How often do you praise God? Do you just praise Him quickly in the morning and go about the business of your day? Do your have a time of devotions with your family later in the day? Do you praise Him before you lay your head down to sleep?

Seven times is what we read here. Seven times is not prescriptive. Don't make a checklist for yourself with seven boxes to check off each day. Seven is a number often used to indicate completeness in the Bible. Seven times a day. All day long. All day long I will praise the Lord.

In Pain

I don't like pain. Whether it's heartache or heartburn, I don't like it.

When we are experiencing pain, we sometimes want to hide. We want to draw the curtains, turn out the lights, and curl up into the fetal position. We want the world to do away. We may take something to relieve the pain. Maybe we pop a few aspirin. Or maybe we open a bottle of wine. We just want the pain to go away.

God knows our pain. He sent his son to rescue us. The Bible tells us so.

When I am in pain, I will cry out to the Lord. I will remember his word and know that He is with me.

Before

It's dark outside. The first rays of dawn have not yet made their appearance.

My family is sound asleep. Save for the purr of the refrigerator, nothing in the house makes a sound.

In the stillness I cry out to You, oh Lord. Hear my prayer. As I open your wonderful word and read, speak to me. Your word gives me hope to face the day. Walk with me today.

Pure

Have you ever been eating one of your favorite meals and something did not taste right? Perhaps someone made a favorite dish from your grandmother's recipe and it didn't taste quite right. After discretely asking, you find that out of necessity (or due to "creativity") a substitution was made to the recipe and it doesn't taste right. It's not fully your grandmother's recipe. It's close, but it's not pure.

God's word is absolutely pure. We may have many different translations, but His Word is absolutely pure. But there are many things that try and pervert Hos Word. Just as we may know Grandma's recipe because we've tasted and enjoyed it so many, many times, we know the pure Word of God by tasting it, by reading it every day. As we go to the source over and over again, we come to know it and we can better recognize when somebody is "changing the recipe." So open up your Bible and feast away!

Doorway

It's always darkest before the dawn and it's quiet and dark in the dormitory. Yet, light seeps through the doorway of one student. Did she pull an all-nighter to cram for a test or did she get up early to spend time with God. The light beckons you to come and you knock on the door...

God's Word has an open door policy. It's always there waiting for you. The light is always on welcoming you. You don't need to be a member of the clergy to learn from it. You don't need a degree in theology to become wise from it. You just need to open the door...

Growing Tired

Tom Petty famously sang "the waiting is the hardest part." We don't like to wait, do,we? We want it now!

Sometimes, God makes us wait. Maybe the answer to a prayer hasn't come. Maybe the sickness we've been fighting won't go away. Maybe it's just one more day of the drudgery we've become accustomed to. But still we wait.

And we grow weary as we wait. Waiting wears us out. Waiting is not passive like falling asleep on the couch while watching tv and waiting for our teenager to return home late at night. Waiting is active like cleaning the house as we await family and friends for a big holiday get together. Waiting wears us out.

But we should remain actively waiting. Like the virgins who had enough oil and kept their lamps burning as they awaited the bridegroom. (Matthew 25) They knew the bridegroom was coming and they, though they may have been tired, we're ready for his coming.

Whatever it is that we are waiting for, whatever it is that is making us grow weary, we know that God's promises are reliable. We know that Christ is coming again. The waiting may be the hardest part, but when the promises of God are fulfilled, we know that it is worth the wait!

Hiding

Some days you just want to run and hide.

You may have deadlines looming at work.

The house may be a wreck and you're not up for cleaning.

The kids may be restless and irritable.

Your husband may be upset with something and won't open up to you about what is going on.

You may want to flee...

Or drown your sorrows in a bottle...

Or hide...

But you say a prayer and open your Bible.

He is there for you.

He is your strength and shield.

He was is your hiding place.

In Him you have hope!

Light

God's Word shines light into our lives.

A light to guide use.

A light of revelation.

A light to keep us from harm.

A light to guide our steps.

If we refuse to open our eyes, we can not see the light.

If we run off on our own, thinking we know the better way, we may find the path darkened.

But God's Word remains a beacon to guide us back to where we should be.

Open your eyes.

Open your heart.

Walk in the light.

Sweet Words

Despite all he gray hair I have, I still adore Winnie the Pooh. That lovable bear always is scheming  and dearly anticipating the wonderful taste of his favorite food - hunny! Disguise himself as a rainbow and float under a balloon until he can get hunny. He'll do that. Gorge himself on so much hunny that he can't escape Rabbit's hole. He'll do that too.

God's Word is sweeter than hunny (and even sweeter than honey)! What will you do to read it? Will you get up early in the morning so that you can read it in the still quiet of a home that will be later bustling with activity? It's that sweet! Will you speak the Word of God to others to make your words sweeter? Please do. Will you drizzle the Word of God over your daily events so that they are sweeter? You should. Will you consume the Word of God so that you can settle your stomach upset my worries and anxiety? Dearest reader, His Word is good for that too!

Concentration

In the face of distractions, do you concentrate on God's Word? When things are trying to draw you astray, are you remembering God's commands and promises? When others seek to bring you harm, are you meditating on Scripture? Whatever comes your way, dear reader, keep God's Word in mind. His promises are always true. His revealed character does not change. His Word is still reliable. His commands are still trustworthy. Don't let distractions draw you away from His Word. Run to it instead.

Revive Me With Your Loyal Love

Sometimes the things we take for granted are the things we really need. We may lose heart in our day to day life and our will to obey God may diminish. We know that God's love for us never changes,b but we may forget that it is real every moment of every day. Remember His love today. Let Him revive you. Walk in His love and obey Him. It will be a good day.

How Do I React?

People have said mean things to me. People have said mean things about me. How do I react? I'll admit, I don't always react well. Sometimes I will dwell on what they said and stew over it. I may get angry. I may get upset. I may break down crying. But I handle things much better when I meditate on God's Word. Meditating on who He is helps me to take the focus off of what happened. Focussing on the promises He has made to me help to remember His truth and permanence. Remembering His Wod helps me to set my mind on eternal things and not things that can and should be forgotten.

Discernment

If you were a detective solving a crime, you would need to look at all the evidence and consider all the witness testimony. If one of the witnesses was lying and you depended on their testimony, you might draw the wrong conclusion and arrest the wrong person. If you found fibers of animal fur at the crime scene, you might think an animal attack happened. But what if the criminal was wearing a fur coat?

God's word is reliable. His testimony is good and true. You can trust it. But, you must be certain to interpret it correctly. You must know Him and His character. You must consider the context of what you are reading. Discernment and understanding are not always easy. But we have a helper in the Holy Spirit. All we need to do is ask, listen, and search the Scriptures to ensure we are hearing correctly.

Secure

What makes you feel secure? Do you feel secure because of your job? Does that motivate you to do your best at work? Are you secure because of your house? Do you take care of it, clean it, and keep it up so that it continues to keep you secure? Do you feel secure because of your husband? Do you work at your relationship so that you remain secure? The Lord is your source of security. What do you do to walk in His security? Read His Word. Talk with Him. Obey His commands. Walk with Him.

Waking Up

What wakes you up in the middle of the night? Maybe your children, especially if they are young, wake you up. Maybe your dog wakes you up because she needs to go outside. Maybe a storm is rolling through and the thunder awakens you. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I usually just want to roll over and go back to sleep. If something wakes me up in the middle of the night, it better be important!

Here, we read that the Psalmist wakes up int the middle of the night - deliberately - to thank God for His laws. Prayer and Thanksgiving are important, are they not? I want my uninterrupted sleep so that I can feel rested and ready to face the day in the morning. Would I be better off in the morning if I were willing to thank God - even in the middle of the night? Even if I weren't better off in the morning, would I be willing to sacrificially wake up in the middle of the night and devote myself to God? Regardless of the outcome, He is worthy of my devotion all day long - even in the middle of the night.

Sing It Out

Can you imagine singing "You shall not drive faster than the posted speed limit?" That would be weird, wouldn't it? Do you still remember the words to your favorite song when you were younger? Do you still remember the words to "Mary Had A Little Lamb" or "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star?" Of course you do! Did you first learn the letters by singing the alphabet song? Next time won't you sing with me! Singing is a great way to learn something and memorize it. Singing is fun and can bring you much joy. Why not sing God's word? It will help you to commit it to memory and it will bring you strength and joy long after you finish d singing it!

Sticks And Stones

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

I can remember reciting that many times when I was young. And almost every time I can remember that words DID hurt me. Though I hate to admit it, I've been on the other end of that also. I've been the one doing the insulting.

Insults hurt. But they don't have to. If we are focussed on God's love for us, if we remember all that He has done for us, if we trust His word, we can handle whatever insults come our way.

When we are insulted, the insults may draw our attention to something we lack or some way we fall short. They draw the attention to us. If we remember God's love for us, if we remember the works,He has done for us, if we trust in His word, we are drawing our attention to Him. He can handle it. He is so much bigger than any insult. He never changes.

So when you are insulted, dear reader, don't dwell on the insult, dwell in Christ.

Worthless Things

Isn't it amazing how much time we spend focussing on worthless things? It may be the latest celebrity gossip, or binge watching the hot new show online, or playing games online, or almost anything else. Sure, they may be fun for a while and maybe even bring some zest to out lives. But do they revive us?

First of all, I guess we should remember that we need to be revived. We have become new creations in Christ, but when we sin, it deadens us and turns our hearts away from Him. We need revival. His Word can bring us revival. It reminds us of His love for us. It reminds us of all that He's done for us. It reminds us that if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. How's that for revival?

The Path

The first time I ran a 5K, I was worried that I might get lost and wouldn't know which way to turn. As it turns out, the course was well marked and of course there were the hundreds of runners before me that I could follow. I was worried that I would be able to finish because I'm really not much of a runner.

Life is like that. However life can be much easier when we know that God has marked out the path for our life. His commands may not literally tell us "Don't turn here" and "turn left ahead" but they do tell us the way we should go. We need to be diligent in reading, studying, and meditating on them so that we can discern how to apply them to our lives. And best of all, as we round the bend and see the hill ahead of us, we can know that God will enable us to make it up.

So, stay on the path and do not deviate. The run may be hard, but you can do it!

Open My Eyes

Open my eyes... Why are my eyes closed in the first place? Am I resting or sleeping? Are my eyes closed because I am trying to focus on something? Am I trying to imagine something? Am I closing my eyes because there is something I don't want to see? Maybe my eyes are actually already open, but I am totally oblivious to what is around me? Maybe I'm blind and it doesn't matter whether my eyes are physically open or not - I can't see. There are many things that may prevent us from seeing the wonderful truths in God's word. A simple prayer may unlock the marvelous for us. Do you want to truly see?

Storing Up

Squirrels gather food for the winter when times are tough. There may be times when they need to draw on what they've saved when there is nothing else to eat. We should be storing up God's word in our hearts. There may be tough times ahead and we need God's word to get us through. There may be times where we are facing trials and temptations. We need God's word to help us through. Read it. Savor it. Memorize it. Store it up for the future. It's worth it.