True Woman 101: Snake In My Garden

This week we studied the effect's of the Serpent's schemes in corrupting our divine design. We began to see his goal to destroy manhood, womanhood, marriage and family, and how, by God's grace, we can reclaim the beauty of God's divine design.

We began by identifying the original and intended attributes of the relationship between the man and the woman, and ultimately, between man and his Creator. We saw how he intended a husband and wife to experience kinship, commitment, unity, communion, authenticity, and purity.

Of all these attributes, for me, commitment is one that really appeals to me. In a day and age where there are fewer and fewer who are willing to keep and uphold the commitment they make to one another, it's really saying something when you see a couple that is keeping that promise. Jesus of course demonstrated the ultimate commitment by sacrificing his own life for us, so it's pretty awesome that marriage is a reflection of that. Just as we are joined together in marriage, so also are we joined with him when we receive him as our Savior, and unlike so many marriage's in our culture, we can know with absolute certainty that he will never leave or forsake us.

The first male-female relationship perfectly put God on display. They were joined together in perfect unity. Just as we are united with Christ and made spotless by his blood, so also were they united and pure. There was no arguing, no threat of one of them leaving, no selfishness or ill will, it was a perfect relationship. That is God-selfless, loving, committed, perfect in holiness-their relationship perfectly displayed God's most important attributes.

Satan doesn't want God to be glorified, so he sought to destroy God's perfect design. In doing so, he went straight to that which was created in God's very image-man. By marring the perfect relationship between man and woman and ultimately God and man, Satan destroyed the perfect union between God and his creation. Ultimately God would restore this union through Christ, but man would forever live and struggle with the consequences of sin. 

His sales pitch was compelling to say the least.  Harmless. Attractive. Promising. Sin always has a way of captivating our attention. It appears good. It appears harmless. But it's full of consequences.

Before I met my husband, I really didn't think finding a man that was strong spiritually was really that important, as long as he was attractive and we had similar interests, I thought my faith was strong enough to compensate. So wrong! As I started to pray to find a man that would love and respect me and my faith, and encourage me spiritually and eventually found my husband, I realized how critical it is to find a person that will strengthen and support you in your faith. I'm so thankful that God always has our best in mind and keeps us from making some of the worst mistakes we could make.

"I'll do it my way." How often is that our attitude? We leave God out of the picture and think it's going to go well for us. When we try to do things apart from God though, we miss the whole point of his plan for us and finding what will truly fulfill us and bring us joy. When we believe that our way is best, we reveal that we don't really believe God has our best in mind, that he isn't loving, kind or good. It's a totally self-centered way of thinking where we become our own God and think we have the right to make our own decisions b/c we think only we know what's best for us. It's totally absent of a trust in a loving Creator who created us with a purpose in mind and is always working things together for our good.

Of course Satan's lies aren't always so obvious. He's embedded all kinds of them into our culture that are in total opposition to God's design. 

Outward beauty is what defines us. 

We are not equal to men. 

Independence and strength are qualities that women should strive for.

As is stated in Genesis 3, "And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you." Women have stomped all over men's ego's trying to exert their independence. To quote the book, "We often have an "us" versus "them" mentality. Women ridicule and belittle men. Men objectify and demean women. We argue about who is better. We compete. We point fingers and blame. We forget that we're connected-that we're in this together."

I have listened to these lies, dwelt on and believed many of them and even acted on some. I might have an okay attitude toward men in general, but I often have a lousy one with my husband. We are interdependent about some things, but I'm still holding on to some of my independent tendencies. I could definitely work on cultivating a more respectful attitude toward him by not arguing, supporting, encouraging, and just letting him lead. Or even just letting him talk! Just learning to listen to him rather than constantly babbling on and not interrupting would be a good start.

As a woman, I  have blamed my circumstances and other people (how I was raised, the role models I've had) for the choices I've made, rather than owning up to them and realizing that it was MY choice in who and what I let define me. Putting on the new nature means first owning up to my role in my poor choices, offering forgiveness, casting off the sinful habits they have led to, and putting on the things of Christ.  

With his help, we truly can reclaim the beauty of God's divine design. 

"Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Ephesians 4:21-24