Somehow, don't ask me how, I'd come to believe that God had intended for Adam and Eve to live alone in the Garden of Eden, that after their banishment, He changed His plan and essentially cursed Eve with motherhood and all its pains.
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children. Genesis 3:16a
I'd assumed that Adam and Eve needed workers in the form of children because their life of ease had come to a screeching halt. But, in fact, God had intended from the day of their creation, Day 6 (Genesis 1:31), that they become parents.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply. Genesis 1:27-28a
The children God mentioned in Genesis 3:16 were a promise, not a punishment, to Eve. The intense pain (of pregnancy and childbirth) was the punishment.
The Jehovah's Witnesses helped me look at motherhood in a whole new way. I know: not every person is a woman, a mother, or both, but every person has, or will, pass through the body of a woman to get here and therefore has, or had, or will have a mother.
Whoever you are and whatever your situation, you are meant to be here. Your presence carries no hint of curse, shame, or shadow. You are a promise fulfilled. You are a fearfully- and wonderfully-made (Psalm 139:14) gift to this world, and God loves you.
In fact, God loves you so much that He gave His Son a mother. Consider with me: God gave His Son the only experience common to all people since Adam and Eve: passage through the body of a woman. Not everyone has, or will, die (consider Enoch and Elijah), but everyone has, or will be, born. God could have sent Jesus--who existed before He was born of Mary (John 1:1)--another way, but God didn't; He sent Jesus helpless, infantile...just the same way He sends all of us: through a woman.
You might even say: God loves you so much that He gave Himself a mother. A mother was the one thing God didn't have until His trinitarian experience through the person of Jesus.
Motherhood is a gift to all people. It is the means by which we have all arrived in this place. Won't you celebrate with me, this year, the God-given gift of your life?
Happy Mother's Day, Friend.
Yes. Motherhood is a gift from God. God bless you on Mother's day, my friend. We all have a mother. No matter the relationship, we all came through a woman. It's a shame there is so much misogyny in the world. Oh, and speaking of misogyny and/or objectification of women... Hooters is offering free wings for mom on Mother's Day. :)
ReplyDeleteYou learned this from the Jehovah Witnesses? The Lord can use anybody to speak into our lives. And yes, God loves us so much He gave us a mother, and if we are one, he blessed us beyond measure.
ReplyDeleteYes, they directed me to Genesis 1 so I could see that God always intended for there to be people on earth besides Adam and Eve.
Deleteit is at least the lowest common denominator, isn't it? this being born thing.
ReplyDeleteas an aside, i think Christians do the most good by drawing attention to those lowest common things and perhaps disarming the reputation we've got of being so "high and mighty". perhaps we show more love by being "meek and lowly" -- and emphasizing how we are just like every other person made of dust. i kinda think that's how Jesus was.
and i think you said that here. really well.
When we lived in the city, the Jehovah Witnesses used to visit us frequently...there is something to admire about them putting themselves out there like they do.
ReplyDeleteAs for what they taught you, wow, wow, wow. Way to bring it all together. Right?
Happy Mother's Day, Brandee.