Adam's Rib

This semester I've been thinking a lot about marriage. I've been working through what it means to be married. Sure, I was a typical teenage girl, thinking I wanted a boyfriend and wanted to be married since I hit the dreaded thirteen years old, but I only thought that's what I wanted. I never thought--really thought--about what marriage would mean, be like, or require. Now, I'm trying to.

As I was thinking about it several nights ago, I was pondering Adam's rib. I don't really know why this particular aspect entered my mind, but I decided to pursue it some. I wondered why God chose Adam’s rib to form Eve. It’s often mentioned in weddings that God chose Adam’s rib because it was close to his heart, so Eve, his wife, should be close to his heart as well.

I think that’s very sweet, and I agree with it. God is tender, and He enjoys symbolism such as that.

Which made me wonder if there was more to it. There are other things close to the heart, using a physical description, not a spiritual one(for now). The lung is the main body part that comes to my mind. Let’s examine this a little.

The lung does a lot of work, it keeps the body alive, but the rib does just as much work, yet it isn’t as necessary for survival. Having a wife does not keep a man alive. It is a blessed thing to be married, but there are many who do not wed ever and there are several who don't get married until they're older. If marriage were required for the survival of an individual, living for any length of time would be tricky. I think the lung would probably have given the wrong symbolism.

The rib is a dexterous piece of bone. It has a flexible joint to allow for the expanding and contracting of the lungs. It is strong and provides some protection to the heart and the lungs. In this, it protects the core of the body as well as one of the most important organs for life. If the rib is damaged or broken, it is harmful to the body and needs to be healed. Otherwise it could puncture that ever necessary lung. It is enclosed in the body, not exposed to the elements, and in that way, even the rib is protected.

So, let’s take this symbolism and translate it.


The rib is close to the heart.
A wife should be close to her husband’s heart. She is precious to him, and his job is to love her.

The rib has flexibility.
A wife is flexible and willing to adjust to her husband’s needs, and she is always by him.

The rib protects the heart and lung.
A wife defends her husband. It’s not all chauvinism; yes, the husband is supposed to protect his wife, but it goes both ways. Because she is precious to him, he needs her on his side. He needs her to be able to block and deflect the knife of doubt and fear that he may fall prey to as well as attacks to his manhood that others may try to piece him with. I can imagine one of the things a man most wants from his wife is to know she will stand up for him and defend him from verbal attacks that others may purposefully or accidentally harass him with. She also cares for that which is important and necessary to him. Traditionally, the wife prepares the meals for her husband. He needs food to survive. She cooks it for him, not only to provide the sustanance he needs, but also in the hopes that it will taste good and he will enjoy it.

A damaged rib injures the body.
If a wife is hurt, physically or emotionally, she needs her husband to care for her and provide the right balm to her injuries. If she is like a broken or loose rib, she needs support to heal. Her injuries can injure her husband; he should have every motivation to care for her.

The rib is protected by the body.
A wife should be protected by her husband. She should not be smothered or kept from doing things, but as the body wraps the rib, the husband’s protection should not be far. She defends him from slander and gossip and attacks to his worthiness and skill. He defends her from physical and emotional and spiritual attacks. He protects her from the rough elements in the world, away from the things which injure her the most. He knows her weaknesses and saves her from being exposed to what triggers them.


The rib and body are entwined, helpful and, by design, necessary for each other. Not to say that people must get married, but these two parts are a beautiful fit for each other. God could have chosen anything to create Eve with. He could have used a lung, a toe, or a fresh patch of dirt. But He didn't. I think the imagery He chose is a beautiful representation of marriage. Just in a simple little bone, God shows us how husbands are to think of their own wives and vice versa.

In thinking of marriage, I remember the instructions God gave through Paul in Ephesians 5:22-33. Yet at the end of this section, Paul writes, "This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:32) Which, in turn, reminds me of the picture of the Gospel in the reality of Christ as the Bridegroom and the Church as His Bride.

So, thinking about that one little rib all the way back in Genisis led me to the Gospel of Christ. Beautiful!

God's thoughts are complex, and He sees more, far more than we do, in the symbolism He chooses, and He chooses perfectly.

Church Joy

I recently realized that going to church brings me joy once again.

I look forward to attending worship. I long for it all week.

But it wasn’t long ago that I wasn’t this way.

I dreaded what I might find when I attended. My worship was greatly distracted by my fears. I didn’t want to go, but I thought that’s what I was supposed to do. As a Christian I should worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

But I felt the distance between my family and myself increasing. I no longer felt like I was home when I arrived for worship. Instead I felt that I had to be on my guard. I wasn’t safe there; I wasn’t protected there; I wasn’t encouraged and revived by the Truth of the Word. I was so afraid of what issues might come up, what discomfort I might experience.

I hated leaving. I did not want to. But I could no longer stay. It just wasn’t an option.

Church isn’t perfect, but it’s supposed to refresh the weary with the Word and with the fellowship of the saints.

I didn’t hear the Word.

I didn’t experience fellowship.

I was alone among the body.

Slowly I was being smothered in my fear and uncertainty and sadness.

Staying was no longer an option. I had to get away. I had to breathe again. I had to focus on God. I needed to be encouraged and to be strengthened and to be comforted.

I simply could not remain.

It broke my heart to leave. I was in agony over the situation and my decision for months. How could this happen? How could I leave? I loved these people. They loved me. But it wasn’t right anymore. It hurt too much to attend. How could I have become so distanced from my family? How could they have left me?

I struggled with my decision. Believe me, I felt cut apart. Where else would I go? I didn’t want to go anywhere else. I wanted to go back home.

But it wasn’t to be.

I visited elsewhere, and I ached. I was desperate to find a new home. I couldn’t float forever; I couldn’t even float for long. I couldn’t take the separation. It was too precious to me to have tight friendships with fellow Christians whom I saw regularly—too precious to be without.

But nothing seemed quite right. A couple times I was nearly ready to just pick a church and say it is my new church. I will park here and get involved. I will make it work. I took it upon myself to not just find a fit but to make one. Well, that didn’t work. It never happened. I did not make a fit. I don’t think I could. God had to place me where He wanted me.

Wow.

I visited my best friend’s church, sort of on a whim. I had nothing better to do. My parents were attending a budding church that met in the evening. But Sunday morning, what was I supposed to do with myself? I was too used to going somewhere; it didn’t seem right to stay home. So I went.

I enjoyed it. I didn’t go to the worship service. I arrived too late for that. Oops. But I went to a Sunday school/Bible study with my twin. The people were friendly, and I liked the preaching that I heard.

So the next week I got up on time and went to the worship service. It was amazing. It was like my dimmer light-switch, which had been getting dark, was suddenly raised to full blast. It was heavenly. I worshiped. I wasn’t afraid. I was refreshed. I was encouraged. I was revived. I was strengthened.

I have gotten myself up early every Sunday since and attended there. Sometimes it’s a little hard. I still don’t know many people well, but I’m building anew. I still have trust issues, and I haven’t thrown myself into the church, like I thought I would. But I look forward to morning worship. And Sunday school after. And seeing friends. And hearing the Word.

I no longer dread attending church. I yearn to be in God’s house. I look forward to worship. I look forward to talking to people. I look forward hearing God’s Word.

Thank you, God! This is your doing. You placed me. It’s still not easy to transition, and I still miss my old home, but I am learning to trust You. You are my Strength. You are my Shield. You are my Protector, Director, Counselor, Comforter. You are my God and always will be. You provide.

Refresher

I want to start using my blog again. I had been thiiis close to convinced to get rid of it after I saved all I'd written, but, being a procrastinator with lots to do, I never did get around to saving all my writings. So I never got around to deleting the blog.

Now I've decided I don't want to. I like the blog format, I'm more likely to use it than to post something meaningful on fb, and I like my blog address. :) Can't help it, that's a factor.

So, here's my refresher. I'm going to start writing and posting again. It's good practice, and it's good for my heart.

I have some ideas of what to put in this blog. Sort of a fresh start with a direction. I imagine I'll put tidbits and quirks and everyday life things in here, but I think I'd like to start a thought of the month. I'll write about the major things that are affecting my life and how they bring me back to God (or how I'm fighting myself and He's asking me to come to Him when I'm running away). Hopefully, if you ever read this, it'll help you and show that you are not alone in doubts, struggles, hopes, dreams, desires, and desperate needs. If you never read this, hopefully God will still be pleased by my efforts to think through what He's orchestrating in my life and in thinking of Him.

God is good. He gives refreshers. May this be one for me and for you.

<>< Christ reigns!

Never Mind the Funk. Go Swing!

What I said about bein' down in the dumps early this semester.. well, it was true, but no longer!

This is my favorite semester so far (um.. out of, like 4..counting this one)! I get to take some fun classes (Writing! and guitar!) and some classes that aren't alltogether too bad. ;-)

And, I'm thiiiiiiss close to deciding both my four year college and major! Yeeehaw!
Anywhos, God is great and He is giving me direction. At first, I really balked at the idea, but it's looking like His way is, after all, the best way. Shocker.

Don't just hang in there; Turn to HIM!!

@~,~~~

Depressed Already???

Or just moody?

I don't know, but even though it's only the second week of school, I just seem to be in a funk. Again. Like the funk I reach after 10-12 weeks of school.

Can I blame it on the weather? (I don't think so.) My school load? Maybe it's a contributor, but the main reason? Ehh. Could it be a cumulative effect hanging around from last semester? That this semester seems more like a continuation from the previous one, and the break in between wasn't enough (or I didn't use it properly)? Possibly. It could also be that I just have a lot to do and a lot that's going on right now; even more than I'm used to from lately. Maybe. I think a large part of it is, as always, a lack of connection. The weird part is I actually have more connection to people from church, both on Sundays and on other days, than I had before.

Do I just have a bad attitude about going to school? Is it really that depressing that I don't have friends in my classes? That I don't see the friends I have when I'm on campus?

I have more questions than I do answers. It just seems that things aren't right, whatever the problem really is, or I'm just way too picky.

Life isn't that bad. I know it's not. Every morning, I wake up, the sky is beautiful, God is on His throne, and the day's work awaits me. I have family, I have friends, I have tasks, and I have breaks. That's not bad. So, maybe this is just an artificial, temporary sadness that has no basis.


I don't know. I just wanted to write this out, my thoughts, my feelings, my worries. Here is where I chose to write it (don't ask me why). But it still amazes me how I can start to feel better, even before this is posted, just by putting my thoughts into the written word instead of only bouncing around inside my head. Maybe it relieves the pressure from inside my brain. After all, I'm filling it up at school, right? It might just get to the point that it has too much inside it at a given time.

I need the Gospel. I need to hear it. I need to read it. I need to proclaim it. It's not a magical chant that makes me feel better, but it is the Good News of life. A written testimony that Christ loves His church, enough not only to die for her, but to raise again and conquer death and sin. And to think that He chose me to be a part of the church, His bride. You think about that. I hope it amazes you and comforts you as it does me. Brothers and sisters, we need to hear the gospel each and every day! We need to tell ourselves the good news! We need to uplift our Christian family by reminding them of the love of Christ! When I think of this, I am humbled, my worries and depression melt away because they can not hold up to the majesty of God. He takes hold of my thoughts.. and changes them.
So, read this, and really read it. Don't just say, "Oh, yeah, a Bible verse. Uh huh, moving on." Stop. Breathe. Read this verse. Think on it.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
-Philippians 4:8

I hope this small clip from God's Word, the Bible, helps you, reminds you of Him. Especially if you recognize yourself in the same funk I was in. This is God's Word.
Is He not marvelous?!!