Female Images of God in the Bible

I came across this little Bible study and thought it worthwhile sharing.

Genesis 1:27 Women and Men created in God’s image

“Humankind was created as God’s reflection: in the divine image God created them; female and male, God made them.”

Hosea 11:3-4 God described as a mother

God: “Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I who took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.”

Hosea 13:8 God described as a mother bear

“Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and tear them asunder…”

Deuteronomy 32:11-12 God described as a mother eagle

“Like the eagle that stirs up its nest, and hovers over its young, God spreads wings to catch you, and carries you on pinions.”

Deuteronomy 32:18 God who gives birth

“You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.”

Isaiah 66:13 God as a comforting mother

God: “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”

Isaiah 49:15 God compared to a nursing mother

God: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.”

Isaiah 42:14 God as a woman in labor

God: “For a long time I have held my peace, I have kept myself still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor, I will gasp and pant.”

Psalm 131:2 God as a Mother

“But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.”

Psalm 123:2-3 God compared to a woman

“As the eyes of a servant looks to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to you, YHWH, until you show us your mercy!”

Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 God as a Mother Hen

Jesus: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

Luke 15:8-10 God as woman looking for her lost coin

Jesus: “Or what woman having ten silver coins, is she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

(Found on http://www.womensordination.org/resources/female-images-of-god-in-the-bible/)

More on this topic:  Feminists can be Christians too

UK politics

I don’t care much about a politician’s religious beliefs – that is their personal affair – but I do look at their policies and actions through the prism of my own beliefs.

I will not vote for a party that has reduced payments to bereaved parents because “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” (James 1:27) https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/06/peers-urge-government-to-rethink-bereavement-benefit-changes

That also means I will not vote for a party has reduced support for children in more ways than I can count:

• Taking away free school meals – http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/theresa-raids-free-school-dinners-10452195
• Cuts to education – http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/conservative-tory-education-school-cuts-theresa-may-crowdfunding-national-union-of-teachers-a7771226.html
• https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2017/jan/31/the-reality-of-budget-cuts-in-schools-survey
• As I used to teach in an FE college, I remember how dismayed I felt at the removal of the Educational Maintenance Allowance – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12209072
• And, etc!

And what about the mother in this scenario, having to prove she was raped to get child benefit for a 3^rd child. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/apr/06/government-under-fire-over-new-child-tax-credit-form-for-victims

You get the point. Let’s go to another topic.

“The worker deserves his wages,” Jesus told his followers. (Luke 10:7) In case you feel I’m taking that out of context, consider this one: “Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you.” (James 4:7)

Workers in the public sector teach our children, care for us when we’re sick, protect us, keep the infrastructure of the country going. I will not vote for a party that has held back their what they deserve with:

• Pay cuts for nurses https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/apr/29/nhs-nurses-pay-cut-12-per-cent-over-decade
• Pay cuts for police that risk our safety, so sadly evident in the past weeks http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9802550/Police-pay-starting-salaries-to-be-cut-by-a-fifth.html
• Pay freeze equals cuts because of inflation. So that’s firefighters too https://www.fbu.org.uk/circular/2017hoc0128mw/firefighters-pay-and-public-sector-pay-freeze
• Teachers (there goes education again) https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/six-10-teachers-denied-1-pay-rise

I will not vote for a party that does not support fair pay at a genuine living wage, with fair working conditions. “Do not make it hard for a paid servant who is poor and in need, if he is one of your brothers or one of the strangers who is living in one of your towns.” (Deuteronomy 24:14) It doesn’t seem to make a difference in these verses whether the workers are UK citizens or they’ve come from abroad. Don’t make it hard for them, it says!

I will not vote for a party that has not shown through their policies and their behaviour that they are striving to make life better for those who have the least. The homeless. The destitute.  “The good-hearted understand what it’s like to be poor; the hardhearted haven’t the faintest idea.” (Proverbs 29:7)

• The rise in homelessness – https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/homelessness-monitor-england-2017
• People are hungry https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/06/more-than-8-million-in-uk-struggle-to-put-food-on-table-survey-says
• The rise in foodbanks https://www.trusselltrust.org/news-and-blog/latest-stats/

I will not vote for a party that disregards the needs of the most vulnerable. The sick. The disabled. The elderly.

• People with disabilities have been hard hit by this government https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/15/theresa-may-cathy-britain-disabled-people
• Assessments are actually making poor health even worse – http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/fit-to-work-wca-tests-mental-health-dwp-work-capability-assessment-benefits-esa-pip-a7623686.html
• And let’s remember the dementia tax fiasco. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/should-great-news-were-living-10553350
• Neither can we forget the broken promise of no top-down-reorganisations of the NHS – https://www.opendemocracy.net/files/a1541e07-2739-09e4-a197-df8399b9d4aa.pdf …
• Which did take place. Between all the policies and cuts, the NHS now is in its worst state for years. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/nhs-cuts-excess-deaths-30000-study-research-royal-society-medicine-london-school-hygiene-martin-a7585001.html

I could go on.

 

Maybe you’re thinking, but we need to be “fair to taxpayers”. We are ALL taxpayers. VAT is Value Added Tax. We pay VAT on our utilities. We pay VAT on mobility devices for the elderly. We pay VAT on sanitary protection. We pay VAT on children’s car seats. We pay VAT on some foods. Our petrol is taxed (the highest in Europe, which also affects public transport costs.) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/road-and-rail-transport/10668970/British-fuel-tax-highest-in-Europe.html

This is a random list but you get the point…

Whether we’re on a low income or a high income, we are ALL taxpayers. The government should be fair to all of us.

Sometimes I hear the argument that “but these are not the duties of the state”.

To my Christian friends who might have this opinion, (I hope I don’t lose your friendship after this post!), I invite you to think again. Reflect on this event in the life of Jesus:

When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them.

When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.”

“Send them off to get some supper” – “Let them take care of themselves. It’s not our responsibility” the disciples seemed to be saying. But look how Jesus responded.

Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.”

You do it. You take care of them.

But that’s expensive isn’t it, this welfare state of ours? That seems to be what the disciples felt:

They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?”

The story goes on, as you know, with Jesus performing the miracle of multiplying the fish and loaves so that all the people could eat. “They all ate their fill.”

We’re not Jesus and we’re not going to multiply the loaves and fishes, but even though it’s going to cost us, we need to find ways to help.  That’s the values I want from government.

(That’s from Mark 6, the Message translation.)

Which brings me full circle to the beginning of this post. I don’t care about the religious affiliation of the leaders of our country, our politicians. But I do care about their policies and actions. I will not vote for a party that does not reflect the values that I hold important. Values of compassion, of fairness. Of a right sense of priority.

That’s why I’m voting Labour. And I hope that you are too – unless you’re living in a constituency where a vote for another candidate will be effective in stopping the Tories.

Labour may not be perfect, and you may not agree with every policy and personality, but I think their manifesto makes clear they have the right priorities. Use your vote to make our country a better place.

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Life’s too short for broccoli

I like vegetables. Peas, carrots, cabbage, beans, parsnip, cauliflower, radish, turnip, lettuce, onions and more. I eat lots every day.

But there’s one vegetable I particularly dislike. Broccoli. I don’t know why but there’s something about the taste and texture that makes me avoid buying it, or push it to the side of my plate if I happen to be served it.

It’s okay to not like something.  Provided you usually eat a well-balanced diet, there are no health reasons for dismissing the occasional food that you really don’t enjoy.

Life is short and we are meant to make the most of it.

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Seize the day and thank God for it.

My life’s too short for broccoli.

On the eve of tomorrow (a prayer before surgery)

Dear Lord Jesus,

Tomorrow is a big day for me. I’ll be putting myself into the hands of a medical team. There will be tests, anaesthetic, and then the skills of the surgeon and his support team will replace my old, damaged knee with a new, artificial joint. I don’t know how much I’ll be aware of what’s going on at the height of proceedings, but I know I’m going to be sitting there waiting around until it’s my turn – the waiting won’t be easy; and I’ll be coming back to full consciousness in the recovery room – that won’t be easy either. There will be painkillers, but there will be pain. The whole process is not going to be comfortable and I must admit I’m scared.

Sometimes it’s hard to put a prayer into words. There is so much I need your help with. That I will be calm and do my part. That your peace will fill my mind and soul, so that I don’t panic. That the breath of life will continue to flow through me. That every member of the surgical team, every member of the support team, will be at the right place at the right time, and will be anointed by you to accomplish the job. Years ago I had a serious operation; the procedure was simpler but it had great repercussions (removal of cancer). I remember claiming the scripture, “The Lord is with them that uphold my soul.” My soul – my body – and you came through for me then. You did help them, and you helped me, and I recovered fully. Please help tomorrow’s outcome to also be positive.

I am in your hands. Please take care of me. Restore health to me, in your mercy.

In the name of Jesus, I pray.

I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD.

(Jeremiah 30:17)

It’s not a sin to be sad.

If the sun was always shining in a clear blue sky, if there were never clouds looming overhead, heavy with moisture, ready to release the rain, we would experience a drought and would soon lack food. Sun and rain are both necessary.

A time to weep, a time to laugh. A time to mourn, a time to dance. Weeping, mourning, laughing, dancing. All are necessary.

The joy of the Lord may be our strength, yet Jesus was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

If today is a happy day, rejoice and be thankful, but if it is a day darkened by the clouds of depression, don’t feel too bad about it nor worry about God’s response. Our depression is no barrier for him. The disciples of Jesus had hidden themselves behind closed doors, afraid and confused, but the resurrected Lord still came and stood in their midst. “Peace be to you,” he told them. He says the same to us.

(Ecclesiastes 3:4, Nehemiah 8:10, Isaiah 53:3, Psalm 35:9, John 20:26)  

Okay!

“Would you like fish for supper?”

“Okay, thanks, that would be nice.”

Okay in this context means yes, go ahead, I agree with your plan, please do this…

And that’s what we mean when we end our prayers with Amen.

Yes, Lord, please do this. Please go ahead. I agree with your plan. 

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD!

(Psalm 106:48)

For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

(2 Corinthians 1:20)

Poor, weak and worthless though I am
I have a rich almighty Friend;
Jesus, the Savior, is His Name;
He freely loves, and without end.

He ransomed me from hell with blood,
And by His power my foes controlled;
He found me wandering far from God,
And brought me to His chosen fold.

He cheers my heart, my wants supplies,
And says that I shall shortly be,
Enthroned with Him above the skies;
O what a Friend is Christ to me!

(John Newton)

One of the listening crowd

And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that [Jesus] got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables.––Mark 4:1­–2

Imagine for a moment that you are one of that multitude, and fill in the details.

Did you plan to be there, or did you stumble upon this outdoor event? Are you with your friends or family, or are you alone?

Is it summer or winter? Are you feeling a bit chilly standing so close to the seafront, or are you looking for some shade from the burning sun? Are you taking a deep breath of the bracing sea air, or is a gentle sea breeze bringing relief in the heat of the day?

Can you see clearly what’s happening? How close are you to the water’s edge? Have you found yourself a vantage point, or is your view obscured by the crowd? What kind of boat is He sitting in? Is the sea calm, clear as glass, or does it look a bit choppy?

Do you have any troublesome thoughts, that maybe you should be somewhere else? Are you wondering whether you can spare the time to stand around? Are you thinking perhaps you should be taking care of some crops, managing your animals, getting provisions from the market, visiting a sick relative?

You’ve heard all kinds of things about this Teacher. Do you ask yourself how much is true? Do you question whether He really has the power to heal people by His voice and the touch of His hand? Could He heal you?

“Listen,” He begins. (Mark 4:3)

Can you hear what He’s saying? Have you heard Him speak before? Do you understand what He’s talking about?

His talk is over now. The crowd is dispersing, and you’re going on your way. Perhaps you don’t really feel like chatting; you want to be quiet and alone with your thoughts, to try to absorb what He said. Are you thinking about what He meant? What does it have to do with you? Has it changed your outlook?

He had finished His talk by declaring, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mark 4:9)

Those who got the most from what Jesus said that day are the ones who listened.

Listening is not merely opening a Bible, skimming over paragraphs and speeding through lines. It’s meditating on what we read, applying it, even re-living it in our imagination. And when we do, we might just discover something new and wonderful.

He’s thinking about us

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

(Psalm 8:4–5)

As small as we each may feel, as insignificant as we judge ourselves to be in the great scope of the world and history, God thinks about us. He “is mindful” of us. The God who set the great creation into motion, the same God knows the very hairs of our head.¹ He knows our thoughts and plans.² He knows our secret sorrows just as He knows our wishes: “Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You.”³

We are not alone in the universe; God knows and loves us.⁴

¹ Luke 12:7 ² Hebrews 4:12 ³ Psalm 38:9 ⁴John 3:16

For those who look with their physical eyes,
God is nowhere to be seen.
For those who contemplate Him in spirit,

He is everywhere.

He is in all, yet beyond all.

(St Symeon)

A bit of greed and a bit of pruning

Someone out of the crowd said, “Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance.”

He replied, “Mister, what makes you think it’s any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?”

Speaking to the people, he went on, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”

(Luke 11:13-15 MSG)

It doesn’t sound like Jesus wanted to get involved in that particular dispute. He doesn’t make a judgement — who was in the right, who was in the wrong. Even if the “someone” was being cheated out of something that was rightfully his, Jesus didn’t hesitate in turning things around, so that the speaker was directed to look at his own heart.

“Yes, your brother might be unjust, but you’re greedy, so who are you to judge.”

It’s so easy to have listener’s generosity. We read a Bible passage or hear a sermon and apply it quite generously to somebody else. We look around at people in our social circle and recognise their faults. So-and-so is a selfish, so-and-so is a bit stuck up, so-and-so doesn’t use much sense.

It’s less comfortable to look inward. It can be distinctly uncomfortable to reflect that the story, the anecdote, the parable, the lesson is about us.

Dear Lord, your words don’t always make for easy reading, and it’s not always so nice to be convicted by my conscience. But please help me to take it, just as the vine accepts the pruning*. I want to be changed by your words, not satisfied with how I am, but growing closer to what you know is better.  

*John 15:2