Eve

Gen. 2:18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

I remember as a child playing a game we called “house”, where we would pretend to be adults, running a household. The guys would go to work, and the girls would cook, clean and maybe even discipline the kids. That was the way life worked in our childish minds, and it was something we looked at as fun, and something we couldn’t wait to grow up for. Oh to be young and blissfully unaware of the stresses of real life! As a wife and mother, I am constantly trying to balance family life with Church and study and yes, a little time to myself. My husband works long hours, and I’m always entertaining a toddler, so I seem to have almost no time to myself these days. I love my family, and I love being home with my daughter, but sometimes I can’t help wondering, is this it? Is this where God wants me? How can I be an influence in the world when I’m stuck at home cleaning toilets? How can I spread His word to those who are lost, when I’m watching cartoons and reading books all day with a nineteen month old? Especially if you are a stay at home mom or wife, you may feel that you have almost no outside interaction and therefore, no purpose other than changing dirty diapers and fixing supper before the hungry husband comes home. It’s easy to get discouraged if we do not realize the value God sees in us.

Consider Eve. The more I look at her life, the more she fascinates me. I wonder what it would have been like to be the first woman, the first wife, and the first mother.

First of all, Eve was created specifically for Adam. (Gen. 2:18) She was created to be a helper for him. God knew it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone and so he created Eve from one of Adam’s ribs. Eve was created with a purpose. The first woman was created to accompany the first man. God was setting in place the relationship of man and wife. For Eve, that was an important purpose for her very existence. Adam was incomplete without her. Gen. 2:24 says that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. I wonder what it would have been like to have God Himself perform your wedding ceremony in the Garden of Eden. It paints a beautiful picture, doesn’t it?

Eve had another purpose as well. She was to be the first mother. (Gen. 4:1-2) Can you imagine what it was like to have a child, when you’d never even seen one? Can you imagine feeding and caring for that child, watching them grow, and learning how to be a mother without any prior experience? How did she know if her children were eating enough without doctors there to tell her they were right on track? Maybe this is where the term “mother instincts” comes in. God had given her everything she needed to fulfill her role; because it was a role He created her for in the first place.

But we also know that Eve had another first. She was the first to be deceived by Satan, and the first to commit sin. Genesis 3 tells us the account of the lie of the serpent, and the enticement Eve felt for the forbidden fruit, thinking it would make her wise. We know once she and Adam ate, they were cast out of the Garden, and had to endure consequences of their actions. When God asked them about it, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Neither one wanted to take responsibility.

Sin has consequences and Eve’s punishment was that she would endure pain in childbirth. Also, that her husband would rule over her. Once again we see God setting in place the relationship between husband and wife. The husband is to be the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. (Eph. 5:23)

Here is the point. We’ve all made mistakes; we’ve all sinned. (Rom. 3:23) But God can still use us! He created Eve to be a wife, and a mother, and even through her mistakes, he used her to be the mother of all. He put her on earth for a reason and gave her everything she needed to fulfill her destiny. Through her seed He brought Jesus Christ into the world, completing the plan for salvation.

You were created with a God-given purpose. If you are a wife, then just as Eve was created for Adam, you were created with the ability to be everything your husband needs. If you are a mother, then God has given you everything you need to fulfill your wonderful responsibility. Who are we to feel that we have no real value or purpose, when we are fulfilling the role God created us for? If your daily life consists of duties of a wife and mother, don’t underestimate the importance of it. God has placed you right where he wants you. So be the wife your husband needs. Be the mother that spends her time teaching her children Godly things.

Maybe you are not a wife. Maybe you’re not a mother. God has created you with a purpose for His Kingdom. Whatever your talent, whatever your ability, whatever your responsibility, use it for God. He has given you everything you need to succeed.

Melody Chatman

I Watched Him There

by Tim Conrad

It has been some years ago that these events took place, but I would like to reflect on the most significant life altering encounter  to take place in my life. Let me bring you back in time to a point approximately two thousand years ago.

I stand in the great multitude on the dirt ground, struggling to find my way through the crowd and chaos towards the front of the gathering. After several minutes of struggling I eventually find my way to the scene. Directly ahead of me , yet still a great distance away, stands a man in chains hanging his head down low as the Governor begins to question him.  I am confused by what is going on – I have heard of this man before, however do not know much about him.  Some say that he is God; others proclaim that he is a false teacher trying to stir up the people; some say that he is merely a prophet, and some that he is a magician.  Still I have heard others proclaim that this is the prophecy of Isaiah – the Son of God.

How am I suppose to know who this man is? I look around for his followers, to see if they are there.  A while back I saw some of his followers as they made their way to Mt. Sinai. Yet as I look around me, I  don’t even spot one so called disciple of this man they call Jesus of Nazarene. My mind presently goes back to the loud and boisterous voice of the Governor – a man named Pilate. He is yelling to the people for the last time that he finds no fault in this man. Suddenly I get shoved as the crowd becomes restless and with piercing sounds yell out the cruel words “CRUCIFY HIM”, CRUCIFY HIM”.  As I gather back to my feet, this governor orders that a bowl of water be put in front of him. Then he began to wash his hands in the water: this was an attempt to pass the blame to the Jews for Jesus being crucified.  Standing before the people, Pilate gave one last look at Jesus and then with a deep breath uttered the immortal words “ I am innocent of this man’s blood.” Thinking that there could be no worst injustice then these present words, the cruelest words I heard yet echoed across the thousands that were standing there, “His blood be on us and our children”.  It was hard to comprehend such hatred as to proclaim those words. How could so many men, women , and children mock a man they barely knew? Granted, I did not fully understand the things that Jesus had proclaimed, however I could not deny the miraculous signs that he performed.

My eyes then drifted back towards Jesus as his head hung lower, symbolic of his knowing that his fate was sealed. It was done — an innocent man would be led to a cross. I felt tears began to fall onto my cheeks, as I ached in pain for the injustice that was committed … Could it be that the crowd was right?  How was I supposed to know?  Yet, I knew something was not right about this whole ordeal, and I had to follow and see the end of this.  The next minutes were almost a daze for me as this man was dragged and yanked by the soldiers. As they carried him away, they would kick him, spit on him, and call him names, ultimately embedding a crown of thorns into his very skull. As blood oozed from his head to his face, the people began to follow the soldiers almost as if a sport to them.  With me lagging behind, I witnessed the dirt and stones hewed at this man.

Suddenly the soldiers stopped abruptly and had this man lift what would be his large cross.  Agony and pain rippled through my bones as I watched the bloody weak and frail body muster all his strength to carry the burdensome cross. In only a few steps, his knees began to buckle and the cross came crashing to the ground.  Whips and lashes ripped into the flesh of this hated man.  With the physical health of Jesus, It did not take long before the soldiers realized that it would be profitable to them to have someone else bear the cross for the one who was to die.

What seemed to be miles of trudging the path to Golgotha took quite some time. Nonetheless, the trail had finally ended and the soldiers began to prepare for the final stage in the death of Jesus.  I cringed as the nails pierced this man’s flesh, first his hands and then his feet.  The screams and outcries filled the air as the nails were driven deep into the blood stained wood.  Presently A soldier nailed a plaque above Jesus head.  These mocking words were read by all ,”THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” I had witnessed crucifixions before, but never one so cruel and hateful as the one I was presently watching. As the cross was suspended into the air and dropped into the deep pit dug in the ground, a resounding thud caused the ground to tremble.

After the soldiers finished mocking, family and friends began to gather around this so called “King”, mourning the loss amongst themselves.  Not knowing what to do, I found a rock nearby and sat  watching as hours passed by. At about the ninth hour, the most immortal words ever to be spoken by man were uttered, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

As Jesus took in his last breath with his head falling into his chest, I fell to the ground for the great trembling of the earth. Rocks rumbled to where I sat, soldiers lost their feet as their weapons were dismounted from their holsters. Dark and fearsome clouds rolled into the sky and  hung above the earth. As if this was not enough, the suspended clouds began to unleash their fury as down pouring rain and great winds sieged upon Golgotha.  It was then and only then, that I realized I stood in the presence of more than just a mere man.  “Truly this man was the Son of God.”

Perhaps I have failed to introduce myself to all of my prospective readers. My curiosity in this man was undoubtedly just. For my name is Barabbas. I had previously been released by the governor in an attempt to save this man. However,  now  soaked head to toe  in water and grief, I find myself kneeling before the broken body of the One who went to the cross in my stead. I bitterly  weep for the pain and agony he endured that should have been mine to bear. All I can muster to say is “Thank you Jesus, for truly you are my Lord and Savior.”

In this previous story, I took the liberty to write about in the perspective of a figurative metaphor in our Christian walk.  Please take it for what is worth in the principle of the story in the symbolic of the cross.  Barabbas represents us in that we are all sinners on this earth.  Romans 3:23. Yet Jesus in his love and mercy released us and went to the cross in our stead.

Multiple Contributors

Show Me A Sign!

John 2:13 “And the Jews’ Passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.18 “Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body.”

The Temple, a symbol of God’s presence among the Children of Israel, in which they took great pride, had become a place of greed and personal gain instead of a place of the work and worship of God. In his arrogance, King Herod dismantled what is known as the Second Temple in about A.D. 19, for massive renovation and expansion. Now, forty-six years into the restoration that wouldn’t be completed until A.D 64, just six years before being destroyed again by the Romans, the Jews stand facing the creator, doubting his authority.

It’s frustrating at times to hear people who think they know more than the Lord, refusing to do His will because “It won’t work” or they feel “it’s antiquated,” doubting the authority of His word.  So full of pride in themselves and what they can accomplish, that when they are confronted with their shortcomings, they need a sign that His word will work before they obey it.

“Show us a sign of your power and authority!”

“The Temple? You can’t rebuild it in three days. It won’t work, it’s been forty-six years now and we’re still not through!”

“Very well then, in three days I will show you that I have power over life and death!”

Jesus gave the Jews the sign of his resurrection, a sign so much greater than rebuilding the Temple which proved to be temporary. He offered them proof that he had the power of life!  Do we doubt His power in our lives demanding proof of His authority before we are willing to submit to him? Do we trust in ourselves to the point of being oblivious to the presence of the creator of the universe in Jesus Christ?

“And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” Rom.1:4

If we listen to the Master and hear His word, we can see His power!

CraigKeel

The Mighty Gulf God Spanned

I have never seen the Grand Canyon in person, but I have seen it on TV and in pictures.  It is an awe-inspiring place on God’s wonderful creation.  When I think of The Grand Canyon I can’t help but think of the song we sing in church “oh the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary”.

When I think of my life in the terms of the spiritual realm, I tend to see shortcomings.  I see all of the opportunities that I have squandered and the things that I have done wrong. I also see the things that I think I have done right, and depending on the day, month, or year in question sometimes the good stacks up higher and sometimes the bad stacks up higher. This is surely true in all Christian’s lives, but we as Christians have a blessing in that the fact that when Christ died on the cross, his blood cleansed us of all the sins that we have committed. That is a big in and of its self, but consider all my sins, all of your sins, and all of the sins of the world.  Jesus in one act of selfless love took away all of the sins of those who will believe and obey his will. His blood has forgiven some 6000 years of sin for all of those who obeyed his will. Think on how many people have lived in these 6000 years and how many sins were committed during that time. The thought to me is mind blowing. Indeed, we can only begin to scratch the surface of the depth and the awesomeness of the love God had for us and the power of the blood of the Lamb of God.  There truly was a mighty Gulf spanned that dark day on Calvary.

Today when we go about trying to spread the Good news to others sometimes we come across people who think that their sin is so great that God would never forgive them and sometimes we come across believers that fall into that same trap.  That is truly what this thinking is, it is a trap set for us by Satan.  It leads us to limit the forgiving power of God and the blood of Christ.  This is not so according to the Bible. 2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God tell us that he will forgive us, he will, period, end of story.  This verse tells us that he wants all to come to repentance and with true repentance and obedience come forgiveness. Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. This passage says the word; all, not just those who have minor sins, but everyone to come and trust in Christ and God and cast our cares on him and we will find a rest for our souls that no other can give.  Let us all dwell on these thoughts and give glory to the Father and the Son for the love and forgiveness that we all receive and the blessings that we enjoy as Christians and do our best to tell others of the Good News.

Callen Pinkerton