Through His Eyes - Chapter 11: Abigail

You can find a summary of the story of Abigail, Nabal, and David (I Samuel 25) found in Chapter 11 of Jerram Barrs' Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible at Prone to Wander. My comments are posted there. Chapter 12 to come soon!

Artwork: Jacob Willemsz de Wet, 17th century, "The Meeting of David and Abigail"

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Through His Eyes - Chapter 10

Here's a link to Megan's discussion from Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible by Jerram Barrs on Chapter 10 - Hannah: A Woman of Prayer.

Megan also has links to previous discussions on chapters 1 - 9.

(Art: Hannah giving her son Samuel to the priest Eli by Jan Victors.)

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Through His Eyes - Chapter 9

We continue on in Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible by Jerram Barrs. It's my turn to post the rotating discussion with Kristy and Megan. This chapter finishes up the story of Naomi and Ruth - A Portrait of Redemption.

I've always loved this book of the Bible. Ruth is brave and Boaz is valiant. And of course, they fall in love and live happily ever after. What's not to like? But Barrs went at this story a little differently than I had expected. He gave a great explanation of gleaning and related it to God's generosity to us and His command of generosity from us. "The fundamental issue is to remember the undeserved kindness of God for oneself and to therefore be generous to anyone in need, for at the heart of these laws is the call to imitate the character of God and to remember his mercy in redeeming his people." (page 141)

What I focused on most in his discussion was this: "The laws simply spell out the basics - they are the floor of what should be done by us - not the reality of the spacious room of obedience to the Lord. Rather, we are to ask ourselves, what is the intent of the Law? What is the principle that God desires us to observe? God's people (in Ruth's time and today) are commanded to be generous to those less fortunate, not simply to tolerate those in need who have the courage to take advantage of such laws as the gleaning laws. This generosity, this obedience to the spirit and intent of the Law, is that we see in the life of Boaz." (page 143)

Ouch. What a great word picture...the floor versus the spacious room of obedience...

This whole discussion was very timely and convicting to me. So here's just a moment of honesty...Matt and I, like probably just about everyone right now, are looking over our finances, redoing budgets, trying to figure out how to best make ends meet. We're starting to see friends who are losing jobs, getting hours cut back...prices seem to be increasing... everything is so expensive! In a week we add a teenage driver to our insurance - yikes! And we'd like to figure out a way to give her something to drive, but even well-used cars seem out of our range. We think our jobs are secure but you never know what's around the corner... And then there's college coming up ever so fast...And let's not even talk about 401Ks or retirement plans. We quit even opening up our statements! I want to just stay at home, sock away every dime we have, and wait for this season to be over. And, just to be totally honest, out of fear and lack of faith, I wonder does God really want us to give money to Him when we still have debt? Shouldn't we get our finances straight before we give to our local church and others? (For an interesting short answer on that question from author Randy Alcorn, click here.)

Sigh.

Thankfully, God so often pairs us with those who will help us in just the area of sanctification that we need. He has blessed me with a man full of compassion and generosity, who is faithful to give to God ungrudgingly and without fear for tomorrow...a man who takes his eyes from the floor and looks into the spacious room of obedience. This is the example, and leadership, I need. Reading this chapter was an affirmation of what I already knew to be true, but needed to hear again. And again. My faith can be very, very small. Infinitesimal.

Barrs goes onto explain Levirate marriage and the concept of the kinsman-redeemer. He talks about the concept of the Year of Jubilee and what an impact it would have on us if we still practiced this concept today. Oh - just get the book and read it!

Bountiful blessings to you and yours on this Easter day! Go to Half-Pint House for links to previous chapter discussions.

(Art by Tamar Messer.)

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Through His Eyes - Chapter 8: Naomi & Ruth

Kristy continues our discussion of Jerram Barr's book Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible. Chapter 8 begins the story of Naomi and Ruth. Great chapter. My comments are with Kristy at Prone to Wander.

See the links at Half-Pint House for discussions on the previous chapters.

BTW - The art is from He Qi. I love his style!

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Through His Eyes: Chapter 7 - Deborah

('Jael and Sisera', Artemisia Gentileschi)

The discussion of Jerram Barrs book, Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible continues at Half-Pint House with Megan. You can find my comments posted there, too.

The artwork above is not of Deborah, but of Jael, another woman of the Bible. Her story is intertwined with Deborah's. You see her here driving a tent peg through the head of Deborah's sleeping enemy, Sisera. Barrs says of her:

"Here is another woman who is not an Israelite but who identifies herself with the people of God and who, in the service of God and against his enemies, acts with great courage." (page 116)

"Great courage" is an understatement. Can you imagine...driving a tent peg through his head with a mallet? Jeepers!

One other thing...I just learned that Deborah's name in Hebrew means....you guessed it..."Bee!" It also means "spirited, fiery woman." Ha. Ha-ha! Bzzz.

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Through His Eyes: Chapter 6

It's my turn to post about the next chapter in Barrs' book, Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible. Kristy at Prone to Wander and Megan at Half-Pint House are also hosting these discussions. I think this has been my favorite chapter so far.

The previous chapter was on Tamar, a woman who played a prostitute for a day and ended up in the lineage of Christ. This chapter is on Rahab (Joshua 2:1-24; 6:15-25), a woman who didn't just play a prostitute but was a prostitute and still ended up in the lineage of Christ. God uses us all...no matter our sin, no matter what particular clay we were stuck in when He reached down and pulled us out! I love that....I am supremely grateful for that. Barrs quotes Schaeffer as saying, "We are all prostitutes. We are all harlots. Each one of us is a whore in the idolatry of our hearts." (page 88) Powerful...and very true...words.

Barrs gives a synopsis of the story of Rahab, but if you don't know it, or haven't read it in a while, go to the book of Joshua and read it firsthand. It's dramatic to say the least. As Barrs says, Grisham and Clancy couldn't have done better. I won't summarize the story here - go get your Bible and read it! Then come back and let's talk.

Hum, de-dum, .....Ok - back now? Let's keep going, then.

In his section on the setting of the story, Barrs talks about God's miracles of holding the waters back of the Red Sea and then at the Jordan so the Israelites could cross over. He goes into a discussion of nature and God's power over it (page 89). In response to the belief that the universe is a closed natural system, Barrs says: "Our response as Christians has to be that the universe is....a lawfully ordered system upheld by its Creator and open to his action at any time. The physical laws of the universe are simply descriptions of the orderly way that God rules the world." I loved that last sentence...the orderly way that God rules the world. I remember sitting in high school chemistry class learning about the atom and thinking, "Wow! This is absolutely beautiful!" I love to study nature and to see fingerprints of God everywhere I look. He is amazing. He is orderly, logical, and beautiful. Think - He made all of Creation for our enjoyment and that we might know and understand Him better.

But, the real impact of this chapter on me was Barrs discussion of whether it is ever "right" to lie. This comes up because Rahab lies to her leaders and betrays her people which directly leads to their destruction at the hands of the Israelites. Yet the Bible says her act is righteous (James 2:25) Hmm...So, it's ok to lie sometimes? In certain situations? Barrs says 'yes': "In many situations the call to protect human life makes concealment of the truth a necessity - in fact makes such concealment and lying an act of righteousness." (page 96) He is referring here to situations of war. I think of a book I recently read again, The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, and her family's specific struggle with this question as they were hiding Jews from the Nazis in order to save their lives.

But even more provocative was Barrs discussion of whether or not *total* honesty can actually be unloving in a marriage. He says "We must not always say what we feel. If we do, we will destroy of marriage very rapidly. We are required to be faithful to our commitment to love our husband or wife rather than to the feelings and words that may be in our heads or in our hearts at a particular moment." (page 97) He goes on later: "There are times when the statement of truth is unrighteous, Pharisaical, and cowardly. My speech is to be ruled by the law of love on behalf of my neighbor." (page 97) Oh, boy. What think you, out there in bloggy land? Total honesty always in your marriage? Huh. I think I agree with Barrs. This made me think of a quote I'd written down in my journal some years ago by Madeleine L'Engle from Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage -

"I learned fairly early in marriage that I did not have to confide everything on my mind to my husband; this would be putting on him burdens which I was supposed to carry myself. When a bride insists on telling her lover everything, I suspect she is looking for a father, not a husband. Some of my life was mine to be known by me alone. But our marriage was ours, belonged to the two of us, and was full of wonderful things, terrible things, joyous things, grievous things, but ours." I'm still chewing on this...I love L'Engle's writings and have learned much from her about marriage and motherhood. What do you think?

One of my favorite verses comes from Rahab's story: But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day. (Joshua 6:25)

Yes, she does.

This was a great chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts on some of these things! Happy Weekend! Blessings...

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Through His Eyes: Chapter 5

Judah and Tamar, School of Rembrandt, circa 1650-60

Kristy at Prone to Wander has continued our discussion of Jerram Barrs' book, Through His Eyes by posting on Chapter 5: Tamar - A Righteous Woman. Tamar has always been one of my favorite women of the Bible and I love that God used her as an ancestor of the Messiah. You can read mine and others' comments at Kristy's site...Wander on over! :0)

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Through His Eyes: Chapter 4

'Hagar Leaves the House of Abraham' by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

Megan at Half-Pint House has a post about Barrs' fourth chapter in Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible on Sarah. You can find my comments with Megan.

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Through His Eyes: Chapter 3

I'm happy to be hosting this book discussion with Megan at Half-Pint House and Kristy at Prone to Wander.

Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible by Jerram Barrs, Chapter 3: "Eve, Bearer of the Promise of Redemption"

On to another chapter. It's been good news, bad news, and now good news again. The first three chapters have been all about Eve. (That's the name of a movie, isn't it?) Chapter one was the good news that Eve (and we) are made in the image of God. Chapter two was the bad news of the Fall. And now chapter three explores the wonder and reality of Redemption and how Eve was the carrier of the Seed Who would become our Savior.

I was greatly encouraged by this chapter...and with the Indescribable video by Luigi Giglio still fresh in my mind after last night's small group, I think I appreciated what Barrs had to say about the plan of Redemption all the more. It's hard to pick just a couple of things to talk about from this chapter...so much to choose from: the Nietzsche quote at the beginning, the idea of no other worldview except Christianity acknowledges things just aren't the way they're supposed to be, how the birth of children are a reflection of our hope in the Seed of Eve, etc, etc. But, here's the two thoughts that struck me the strongest:

First, "God's coming to them (Eve and Adam), his presence with them in the Garden each day, is in itself an affirmation of his love. He comes to them to assure them of continued care, to seek them out and communicate with them rather than leaving them in their disobedience and proud rebellion. God does the same for each one of us. We did not go seeking all over the world to try to find God. Rather, he came and sought each one of us and found us even in our willful turning from him, even in our insistence on going our own way, even in our state of disobedience and proud rebellion." (page 45)

These words made me stop and remember how God sought me, how He held me in His hand for so many years when I was pretending He didn't exist, or at least that He wasn't relevant. He sought me, protected me, carved out a path for me to walk that kept bringing me right back to Him. I think about how He still does that now...how I am so prone to wander, so prone to leave the God I love. Yet, in His grace, He pulls me back again and again...sometimes with a soft tug, sometimes with a painful yank. This magnificent grace should be an example to me to pour out grace to others who knowingly or unknowingly hurt me. Yet, how quick I am to turn my back, to hide away, to pretend they don't exist? Ouch. I think my conscious just got pricked.

Second, "God promises that he will put enmity between Eve and Adam and Satan. This may not seem so good...However, the point is that God, instead of abandoning us to Satan, has rather declared that we are on his side, that we are enemies against Satan along with God in the battle that rages down through history between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness...God has not handed us over or given us up to the powers of darkness; rather he has set us against the forces of Satan, and he has put enmity between those forces and us." (page 45)

This was new to me. God, in His cursing, still blessed us by aligning us with Him and not with Satan. What a deep, deep mercy to think about.

So - what did you all think? I'd love to hear what you gleaned or what touched your heart the most.

Blessings to you and yours tonight.

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Through His Eyes: Chapter 2

(Sculpture by Edwina Sandys)

I'm on Chapter 2 of Through His Eyes with Megan at Half-Pint House. The first chapter was on the creation of Eve and how she was made in the Image of God. Pretty positive, happy stuff. But this chapter was on the fall of Eve (and Adam) and therefore was about sin. Not so happy. There were many good points and food for thought, though. See Megan's post and the comments for some good stuff to think on.

In the last half of the chapter, Barrs goes through 'The Seven Pointed Curse' and discusses seven results of the fall and the subsequent curse. I keep coming back to the third point:

The third curse of sin is that Eve is alienated from herself; and so are we all, each one from herself or himself. What is meant by this self-alienation? As we look within ourselves, we are aware that there is a disorder within us. We experience shame and even self-loathing because of who we are.

This reminded me (and Barrs quoted) Paul's verse in Romans (7:24), "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"

One definition of alienate is to 'cause to be unloved.' So, if self-alienation is part of the curse, we could say a result of the Fall is that we don't love ourselves. True, I think. Oh yes, I agree there are plenty of people who appear to love themselves too much. But this, too, is unloving at its root. I think of self-alienation as a pendulum that swings two ways: the feelings of overwhelming shame and unworthiness in one direction and the feelings of self-righteousness and self-satisfaction in the other.

Let me put it like this - I feel the curse of self-alienation when I beat myself up over trivial failings, telling myself how stupid and ridiculous I am. You know, that little voice in your head that likes to point out how fat you are, how boring other people must think you are, or what a terrible mother you are. Or worse, when you have sinned, maybe terribly, and have laid it at the Cross, but continue to feel shame and guilt, even though you know God has forgiven you...this is self-alienation. I am "unloving" myself.

But the other direction is pretty bad, too. It's when I compare myself to others and say, "Gosh, I would never have done something as horrible as that!" Or I think, "You know, I'm not really so bad anymore. God's done a pretty good job with me. I've come a long way." This, too, is alienating myself. I am peering at myself through the rose-colored glasses of sin and stagnating in the miry waters of complacency.

Somewhere in the middle is where we need to be...where I need to be, somewhere between berating myself about how stupid I am and tooting my golden horn of self-glory. It is in the middle that I can clearly see my sins and my Sin, but I can also see who I am in Christ - a forgiven, beloved, cherished Image Bearer of God.

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Through His Eyes: Chapter 1

I've started a new book discussion of Through His Eyes: God's Perspective on Women in the Bible by Jerram Barrs at Half-Pint House. I enjoy fresh perspectives on women in the Bible and Barrs has included chapters on some of my favorites: Tamar (Genesis 38), Deborah, and the woman at the well. The first three chapters are dedicated to our first mother, Eve and chapter one focuses on her condition at Creation (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:15-25.)

While I found a lot packed into this chapter, one thing in particular jumped out at me:

"Eve and Adam were created to be significant. We are designed to willingly and gladly choose to be what God has made us to be and to live in love and in moral beauty as he designed us to live, delightedly reflecting his nature in all we do. We have a kind of limited sovereignty over our own lives, mirroring in a little way the infinite sovereignty of God's divine majesty. We are finite history-makers, under God, the Lord of history."

I liked that: "finite history-makers." I believe God has a sovereign plan specifically for my life. But I also believe He has left me plenty of space in which to freely move around - space big enough to create, to love, and to live in ways that are unique to me and glorifying to Him.

Sharing that history is important to me, too, especially with my own girls. I look back at the women in my family and wish I knew more about their lives, their relationships with God, with their husbands, and with their children. I feel a hole because there were so many I didn't know, and if I did know them, often it was in a superficial way. I yearn for the wisdom of my mothers. And, the older I get, the more I wish I had it.

So, that's the main reason why I write...why I write on this blog, write in journals, write essays, poems, stories...I'm writing for my girls, my granddaughters, even my great-granddaughters. I don't have a great burning desire to be published, other than in the hearts of my children. I want them to know what God has done in my life, how He has been faithful over and over again. Ultimately, I want them to know He will be faithful to them, too. My prayer is that maybe my stories, my history-making, will point my girls to God, the Lord of all history.

May we all see our significance and may we be little 'history-makers', living and loving creatively. Blessings.

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