Trusting the Spirit to speak, I explored the testimony of the entire New Testament. Scripture after Scripture showed a picture of the Body of Christ in which women participate fully and freely in every aspect of the kingdom, and men and women stand shoulder to shoulder, serving the Lord. I also learned why many people who love the Word do not know that – why I did not see it for so long.
Ultimately, collectively, the church quenched the Spirit’s voice in order to embrace the society’s values. The church began to preach - and to try to live - a righteousness unencumbered with justice. But. God.
God identifies himself as Defender of the forsaken - especially women forsaken in any number of ways by their husbands, children forsaken in any number of ways by their parents, and foreigners forsaken in any number of ways by the citizens of a land. This same God counts it crucial that his people defend the cause of those who are easiest to abuse.
If you have been forsaken - by your parents, by your spouse, by people around you who count you "not one of us" - know this: When God finds you among the bereaved and discarded, he himself takes up your cause.
To help us grasp the stark contrast between God's view of submission and the way some religious people view it, let's consider the contrast between God's view of Sabbath and the way some religious people have viewed it.
Few people mourned its passing. Few even knew that the TNIV Bible existed. Most Christians who did hear of it during its short but tempestuous life fled from it in fear.
In a marriage that reflects God's nature and his kingdom, love and honor go both ways.
Like many women in the church, I had been taught to smile and accept statements that ostensibly compliment, while firmly putting me in my place.
"There are so many things you can learn about. BUT ... you'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut." - Dr. Seuss