Biblical womanhood

Hi friends, it’s the month of August and that means it is women’s month. In celebration of this month as well as women’s day I want you to know about me before I write this post. I like coffee (decaf, because caffeine gives me anxiety) and a good book. I also like sunflowers and white roses and everything that has a vanilla scent. The most important thing I want you to know is that I am a child of God and I am deeply loved by Him.

Now let’s get into today’s post. Christian Womanhood. This has been one topic that has been intriguing to me for a long time now. In my own life, womanhood was shaped by society. Being a woman meant that I was insignificant because it was only the boy child who had value. I once did a poll asking women whether biblical womanhood oppressed women, and more than 80% who took part in the poll answered yes. This did not come as a shock to me because there was a time when I also held this kind of view.

I also did not like reading the bible because a lot of what I had heard was that God favoured men and I went into my bible reading with that mindset, and of course that’s what it began to look like. But it did not mean that it was true. When we read through the bible we get to see that God also used women. He used Queen Esther to deliver the Jewish nation from being slaughtered because of Haman’s evil plan. He used Deborah who was a judge to inspire courage to the Israelite army to go and fight against their oppressors in victory. He used Mary as the first person, a woman, to tell the disciples the gospel, that Jesus is alive. If anything the Bible shows us that God is for women. He loves us.

One of my favourite stories in the bible is one of the adulterous woman whom the whole community took to Jesus after they had caught her in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11). They told Jesus that the Law of Moses permitted them to stone a person who was caught in the act of adultery. This was a shameful act which was punishable by death. The people kept on demanding a response from Jesus as He knew this too. But this is what He said; “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (John 8:7). He defended this woman. And truly the crowd left one by one until it was only Jesus and the woman left. Now listen to this friend, Jesus turns to the woman and says; “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, Neither do I. Go and sin no more” John 8:10-11.

This is all in the Bible. Go read it for yourself, women are not being oppressed or treated as doormats, no. They are valuable, treasured by God and loved by Him. Now the thing is, if you have lived long enough on this earth, you will have experienced some kind of pain or trauma in your life. This threatens how we see ourselves and God. We begin to see ourselves as worthless, unloved and feel like we’re not significant. But we are. We are loved, we are significant, we are God’s beloved, and His most prized possession. We are women of God. Women who get our identity from Him.

You will not know who you are unless you know who God is. He is a good Father, meaning we are His children. He is filled with unconditional love and compassion. In fact He is love. Meaning we are loved by Him, fully. God chose to make you a woman and give you the colour of your skin. It is not a mistake. He is so intentional.

Christian Womanhood is about knowing who God is and being in closeness with Him. Let Him define you. Read the Bible, you will know who you are when you know who He is. This is what I want to leave you with, if you feel like you cannot go to God and you are ashamed, maybe because of what has happened to you or because of what you have done, know that as Jesus spoke with this adulterous woman, He does not condemn you. He is Healer and Restorer, go to Him. Abide in Him and leave the old way behind. Return to Him. Like the prodigal son who went back home to his father after living in sin, when he got home his father’s arms were wide open and he was embraced by his dad. Now daughter of God, your Father’s arms are open wide for you as well. The devil is a liar; God will always love you.

Until next time :)

1 Peter 3:3-4 - "Don't try to make yourselves beautiful on the outside, with stylish hair or by wearing gold jewelry or fine clothes. Instead, make yourselves beautiful on the inside, in your hearts, with the enduring quality of a gentle, peaceful spirit. This type of beauty is very precious in God's eyes."