There was a time when females were equated with softness and men with toughness. I believe that females should also be strong. We need to be strong physically. Childbearing and caring for a family is not for wimps. We need to also be strong emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. We must be strong to stand against all evil that the devil wants to bring to our marriages and families.I shared with you recently that the Proverbs 31 woman is described as a strong woman: “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is above rubies.” The word “virtuous” is “chayil” and means “strength, valiant, and is usually used in the context of an army.”
But although we must be strong, we dare not lose our softness. It is one of the beautiful characteristics of being female. I love the way the Hebrew uses organs of the body to express emotions and affection. There are four different Hebrew words for “womb” in the Bible. Let me share the meaning of just two of them.
“Racham” comes from the root word “to fondle.” It means “to cherish a babe in the womb, to love deeply, to be compassionate, to show tender mercy and pity.” This word is used interchangeably in the Bible for the womb of a woman and also to describe God’s compassion and mercy.
“Meah” comes from a root word meaning “to be soft.” It refers to the internal organs including the reproductive organs. It speaks of our emotions and also of God’s emotions.
The womb is more than a literal place to conceive and nurture a babe. It is the seat of our compassion and tenderness. As we embrace our womb and childbearing, we return again to a soft and tender spirit. Little babies keep our hearts soft and at the same time we reveal the compassionate and tender heart of God.
God has chosen His female creation to reveal His mercy and tenderness to the world—firstly to our children and then to a hurting world. No wonder 1 Timothy 2:15 says that we will be preserved through embracing childbearing. We are saved from becoming tough and hard. Motherhood keeps us soft, tender, and beautiful in our femaleness.
Be blessed,
Nancy Campbell
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Let’s look at another “ness” word today. Chasteness— there is such a word but it’s certainly not used very much in our vocabulary today, is it? Check it in your dictionary. It means “to be morally pure in thought or conduct, modest, abstaining from unlawful sexual intercourse.”
I love to discover new words, don’t you? Here’s some new words you may have not used before, but I think they are beautiful words to add to our vocabulary.
We are looking at the different descriptions of the women God wants us to be. Let’s read Proverbs 31:10 in the Amplified version: “A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.”
Proverbs 31:26 gives another definition of a woman in the home: “In her tongue is the law of kindness.” Kindness personifies a woman. That’s a challenge, isn’t it? When we resort to our fleshly ways, we lose the anointing of kindness. The Hebrew word is “chesed” which is one of the most wonderful revelations of God in the entire Bible. It’s closely related to “grace” in the New Testament. It’s God’s unfailing love even when we don’t deserve it. It reveals His mercy, forgiveness, loyalty, goodness, and kindness.
I amazed by the descriptions about women in the Bible. If you want to feel good about being woman, read God’s Word. God lifts women to a high status. Proverbs 31:25 also states that she is a woman of strength.
My last post to you was about the woman of honor and dignity. But the Bible gives many descriptions of women.
Proverbs 31:25 (NLT) describes the virtuous woman: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” The KJV uses the word “honor” but most versions translate it as “dignity.”
Growing up in New Zealand, a country that is part of the British Commonwealth, we were exposed to royalty. As children we were quite obsessed with royalty. My friends and I would search the papers and magazines every day to hopefully find a picture of one of the royal family which we would dutifully cut out and paste in our Royal Family scrapbooks. We would get together to look at one another’s books and swap pictures we didn’t have.
Adding a few more thoughts to my post below, SHOULD MARRIAGE BE EXCLUSIVE?
Dear lovely mothers, don’t despise all the meals you must cook for your family. Every meal is another glorious opportunity to gather your family together, to fellowship together, to bond together, to laugh and enjoy one another, and expect beautiful things to happen. Cooking the meal paves the way for all these lovely things to happen.
God is bigger than any problem you face. You can trust Him completely.
A Facebook question popped up on my Facebook awhile back: “What do you think about having a male friend apart from your husband? Vice versa too? Can it be a purely platonic relationship?”
GOD NEVER CHANGES
Why do we like to grumble and complain? It never accomplishes one thing! Only negativity and destruction. Change your attitude today and look up. When you praise the Lord good things start happening. Have a great day. As my husband says to us every morning: “May this be the best day of your life so far!”
Praise God, we don’t have to live in the dark. God shows us clearly in His Word how he wants us to live as a married couple. The Bible tells us that we the husband and wife are both to show honor to one another. Let’s check this out, shall we?
In what capacity do you like to introduce yourself? Some folks may introduce themselves as a teacher, singer, nurse, lawyer, or even a mother. Many pastors like to introduce themselves as Pastor So and So. They make sure they precede their name with the word, Pastor!
All the good things that are in Jesus Christ are available to you right now. Not some day in the future, but RIGHT NOW! I know that life is not always perfect when you are mothering your children. You don’t have enough fingers to count how many things go wrong throughout the day. But don’t despair. Jesus Christ is with you. He lives in you. You don’t have to react to these things in your flesh. Instead, allow Jesus to live His life through you.
I have a question for you. Do you think it is possible to “glorify God in your body” if we tamper with the way God created us?
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree it will spend the rest of its life thinking it’s an idiot.” Albert Einstein.