Woman, Female, Feminine

Does the God of the Bible value women? I think that is the question that was raised in my mind from Thursday’s lecture. Certainly the women of the Bible experience injustice and hardship, but from what I see, God is never condoning the injustice. Just because something is in the Bible does not mean that God approves of it. Women are definitely not powerless or weak to God in the Old or New Testament. Women like Tamar, Ruth, and Esther show incredible strength and greatly influence those around them. I love how God displays and values women and their femininity in the Bible because it is obvious to me that he values them deeply. The heart of the woman is in many ways a reflection of God’s heart. God said that He created man and woman in his own image, so it would make sense that the feminine would carry some attributes of God. When I think of God in this way, I think of tenderness and love for adventure and nurturing qualities, all qualities of women. One of my favorite stories about a woman comes from the New Testament. It is Mary Magdalene. Over and over it is obvious that Mary and Jesus have a deep relationship. Jesus LOVES her, and she pours out her heart before him. In the Mary and Martha story, we see Mary so captured with Jesus that all she can do is sit at his feet and take in his words. Another time, we see her again at his feet anointing him with her tears and wiping his feet with her hair. Jesus was her master, Lord, Teacher, and Friend, and it makes sense that when Jesus is resurrected, he first reveals himself to her. In the garden, she does not recognize him, but then HE SAYS HER NAME. He says, “Mary,” and she recognizes his voice, as he had said she would earlier in John 10. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” God loves women. That’s all.