I pray that as you continue to read what God has shared with me you are given new wisdom and understanding. This lesson was a conversation between me and a friend which allowed God to come in and open my eyes to a deeper meaning on what it means when we make reference to Ephesians 5
25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.[b] 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body.(NLT)
As I continue from my previous conversation, something else was brought to my attention about the courtship this young man and I briefly shared. There were so many unanswered questions and too many empty details which caused red flags to go up in my spirit. So in my studying of this scripture and speaking with my best friend I realize three things. The guy I courted never gave me Christ in his three distinct examples from his bloodline. All three examples require ACTION which is a VERB! (That is the English teacher in me).
Christ as David - To Praise
(Jehovah-Tsid-Kenu) - This name of the Lord is one of the most powerful and comforting ones he has given us and an understanding will create a heart bursting with gratitude.
2. He Never Gave Me Christ (David)
Christ came in the form of David to give us yet another snapshot of what to expect later on in time. It was through his resilience and tenacity as a servant to God, which made an iconic representation to the genealogical background of Jesus, in which we further get a clear understanding of the relationship between man and God.
David is by far one of my favorite men of the Bible. Despite his shortcomings and ill decisions regarding leadership and love, David was a man who had a heart after God. The beat of David's heart was so in sync with God it was hard to see the difference between man and spirit. His compassion for God was intriguing yet genuinely sincere at the same time, to the point God had no choice but to love David back even more. David wanted nothing else but to please God. His dedication to God was submission in its purest form. The actions of this man spoke louder than the word which scuttled from his heart. Regardless of who was watching him or even those who did not approved of his actions, David was a man with power and in that power he had a continuous praise in his heart despite his circumstances.
According to Webster's Dictionary, praise means - to glorify (a god or saint) especially by the attribution of perfections. How amazing is it to learn that a man during this time period made it a lifestyle to glorify God for his attributions of perfection. His perfect peace...His perfect will, etc.
According to Strong's praise can mean 1288 barak baw-rak' a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration).
Although we know David was by no means perfect he never allowed his imperfections to take his mind away from his sole obligation as a son of God; which was to continuously praise God through the good and the bad. Even when he is in the middle of a horrifying situation, he praised God. Even when his enemies surrounded him and mocked him, he still praised God. Even when things did not go as he planned, he still praised God.
In Psalms 56 David prayed to God after he was seized in Gath by the Philistines. He says...
8 You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
9 My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.
This I know: God is on my side!
10 I praise God for what he has promised;
yes, I praise the LORD for what he has promised.
11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?
12 I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,
and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
13 For you have rescued me from death;
you have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in your presence, O God,
in your life-giving light. (NLT)
This simply brings joy to my heart in knowing that the man God will allow me to be with is currently being transformed to represent this form of Christ and in his representation of Christ I too strive to live a life similar to that of David's. This thing is bigger than me! It is bigger than simply wanting him to treat me in a certain manner. The focus is how does he treat God?
When all hell breaks loose in his life does he simply throw a pity party? Does he isolate himself from me and his family? Will he complain about every bad decision and circumstance or will he simply fall to his knees and praise God in the midst of it all? Does he exemplify the Christ in which David did? Is he strong enough to be the head and endure all the attacks so that they will not reach his family? Does he have praise in his heart which reverts back to his relationship with God? Can he really call himself a son of God? And if not does he really think he deserves one of God's precious daughters, like me?
God is righteous in all he does. Even when he gives us a "No" to something we seek him for, it all has a purpose. God does not make mistakes by any means and we must forever understand this. The young man that courted me never displayed Christ as David did. Although his gifts and talents allowed him to be placed in a position of continuous praise, his lifestyle outside of the church rarely reflected these characteristics. Furthermore, he came out of a bad relationship prior to meeting me and he allowed the past to negatively alter his mindset on relationships. This also allowed him to build a wall of bitterness higher than the Empire State Building. Insecurities continued to exude in his speech and his attitude about various things even to the point where he became disrespectful towards me.
I had to ask myself during the course of us getting to know each other, was this type of person I could see myself with later on in life? The harsh reality was NO! The man whom stood before me was not what I asked God for nor did he show me Christ in his actions on a consistent basis. True enough he took me to dinner and even made romantic gestures; however, what I really needed from him as a man and potential mate he lacked in. I for one know you cannot change a man and I am not in the business of trying to do God's job. So I had to really pray and seek God on walking away for good before making a premature decision based on what I saw in front of me.
My Pastor taught on relationships a couple of years ago and he gave us a formula to operate in which included a strategic order in which companionship should be built: Spiritual, Psychological, Emotional, and Physical. When meeting someone new I first had to see if there was a spiritual connection there. Needless to say with this young man there "appeared" to be, but I later found out this was not authentic. Then I needed to see if there was any psychological connection between the two of us...and well the answer again was no. Apparently the age difference and educational background seemed to be a major problem for him. Then there were the emotional and physical connections which needed to be addressed. Although he was physically attractive he was an emotional wreck after his last relationship. This formula further let me know I was headed for an explosive relationship which would end in complete disaster.
As I continue to wait on my Boaz/David...I have to thank God for the life lessons and teachers he continues to send me on a daily basis. I pray as you seek to become the man/woman God has called you to be that you are listening closely to God's voice and being obedient despite what your circumstances may be.
Be blessed.
Tha Non-Fiction Version
- Miss Natalie
- This is a way of escape to express myself to an audience without a capacity. This is my life, my strengths, my weakness, my fears, my hopes, my doubts, my everything. An Outlet of Relief!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
He Never Gave Me Christ (Boaz)
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
As I slowly continue the countdown to the big 3-0 I have looked back over the past five years to reflect on what worked and what did not. Tomorrow marks the famous day in which love is generated and catered among the vast majority of people. Regardless of one's religious background...Valentine's Day is a universal holiday in which many celebrate in order to show their appreciation and affection towards others (ACTION!) What is interesting about this day as it relates to me is that within the last five years...I cannot remember celebrating Valentines Day with the exception of 2010 when my ex and I attended a concert.
This year as I continue to await my Boaz, I think about all the guys who sought interest in me but I did not seek it back...those who tried and it simply did not work...and even the one who claimed to be "real" yet his actions lied on him and proved otherwise! *insert Kanye shrug*
I continue to sit back and think about what my heart desires in a husband and how that relates to the type of wife God is creating me to be. Within the body of Christ, believers are known to quote the famous Ephesians 5:25-30 which reads...
25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.[b] 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body. (NLT)
As I sit here and think about my life in the grand scheme of things especially with different men I have dated and been in serious relationships with, I have to think about this scripture and ask God to break it all the way down for me and others. Lord, help us to remain faithful in you as we seek to gain wisdom on what we should hope for instead of the things we simply look for, Hebrews 11:1-3,
1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. 3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
I recently told one of my best friends that a particular guy (who will remain nameless) never gave me Christ during the time of our courtship. Every time I think about Ephesians 5 and I try to compare it to our courting, not one time did he show any resemblance to Christ especially as it relates to this scripture. Now before people claim I am going too deep...let me remind you that the WORD tells us the following in John 1. It is because of the WORD of God that I continue to eliminate the lies of darkness because the light of God's word forever shines so bright.
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a] and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b] (NLT)
It is in this truth that I can sit back in the presence of God and listen to Him loud and clear about what He has prepared and planned for my life. My Boaz has to resemble Christ, because it was through the bloodline of Boaz that Christ came down generations to make his earthly presence known. So many modern women refer to their husbands or future husbands as "BOAZ" who is also a type and shadow of Christ.
So in my studying of this scripture and speaking with my best friend I realize three things. The guy I courted never gave me Christ in his three distinct examples from his bloodline. All three examples require ACTION which is a VERB! (That is the English teacher in me).
Christ as Boaz - To Provide (Jehovah Jireh)
Christ as David - To Praise (Jehovah-Tsid-Kenu)
Christ as Jesus - To Protect (Jehovah Nissi)
I will come back to Ephesians in a moment but let me tell you what God gave me about these very different types of Christ and how it related to the guy I once courted.
1. He Never Gave Me Christ as Boaz (To Provide)
Ruth 2:6-9
6 And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.” 8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.”
What is interesting about this scripture is that one, Boaz made provisions for Ruth before even really knowing who she was. The same way Christ made provisions for us on the cross before our spirits ever met our bodies and introduced us to the world. Another indication of the connection of Boaz to Christ is that he called her "daughter". It is by no coincidence that the Father of Heaven ,who wrapped himself in flesh, came down the genealogy bloodline of Boaz to speak to his daughter; who came from a family which never knew Him. So even in the book of Ruth, Christ made himself known without telling us who he really was. Boaz also informed her that when she was thirsty to help herself to water from the well. This also referenced Christ and his meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:9-15. The topic of living water was even present in Ruth as Christ continued to give us indications of who He was and why He was coming into this word.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.[b] She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
There were times during our courtship in which the young man would make comments about not being able to provide for me financially due to some recent setbacks he had endured. At first I was offended by these statements because I was never the type of female to date a man based on his financial status. I never sought out to be with a man based on how much money he made or what he could buy me. But then something came to my memory about it which further made me realize God had something better in store for me. I did not need to settle for a relationship in which one could not fully function as the head, as this guy clearly was communicating to me. I had to listen with an open ear an understanding heart that this man was simply telling me he was not the one. Because of my eagerness to defy the odds and not become the stereotypical gold-digging female, I simply excused his comments as him beating himself down for not being the "man" he thought he should have been. The way I saw it, we were simply dating and had not moved into the relationship phase, so there was no need for him to have those concerns about being a provider for me. Boy was I wrong!
As God further breaks down the connection of Boaz and Christ to provide...I also remembered a few other things about this courtship. During the course of us getting to know each other, there seemed to be insecurities about him which hindered his ability to be accepting of the woman God had created me to be...Proverbs 31! The fact that God had opened so many doors for me seemed to make him look at himself and realize that he had not used his time to the best of his ability. So many times he would tell me that he felt like "he wasted so much time and he has nothing to show for it". Now I must mention that there was almost a 10 year age difference between us. From where he stood close to 40, I may have accomplished so much more in life at the age of 29 than he had. In my heart I simply believed that his life was not over and it was never too late. I had the heart and compassion to be understanding and supportive, yet that is not what he wanted. I was trying to help a man who did not want a HELP MEET! So I had to step away.
Today I am at peace with walking away from the situation. I believe that God has someone so much better for me and I do not have to settle for just anything or anyone. There were things said/done that did not reflect Christ. The entire time I felt something was missing from the entire courtship. Something that was of value and merit. Something that was the glue to us being around each other. Despite him being a believer, he still did not have the key ingredient to unlock my heart. He was not a man that reflected Christ as it relates to the man God has for me.
I serve a God who loves me and provides for me on a daily basis. I am not asking God to send me a man who will try to replace God because that will NEVER happen, but I am asking God that since His word cannot come back void...then Ephesians 5 still holds true to its power even on this eve of Valentine's Day. With God EVERYDAY is a day of action in which He continues to show me His undying love and affection as my provider. So at the end of the day I further realize God is sending me a man who has a heart after his own and understands what it means when the Bible says...25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
As I slowly continue the countdown to the big 3-0 I have looked back over the past five years to reflect on what worked and what did not. Tomorrow marks the famous day in which love is generated and catered among the vast majority of people. Regardless of one's religious background...Valentine's Day is a universal holiday in which many celebrate in order to show their appreciation and affection towards others (ACTION!) What is interesting about this day as it relates to me is that within the last five years...I cannot remember celebrating Valentines Day with the exception of 2010 when my ex and I attended a concert.
This year as I continue to await my Boaz, I think about all the guys who sought interest in me but I did not seek it back...those who tried and it simply did not work...and even the one who claimed to be "real" yet his actions lied on him and proved otherwise! *insert Kanye shrug*
I continue to sit back and think about what my heart desires in a husband and how that relates to the type of wife God is creating me to be. Within the body of Christ, believers are known to quote the famous Ephesians 5:25-30 which reads...
25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.[b] 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body. (NLT)
As I sit here and think about my life in the grand scheme of things especially with different men I have dated and been in serious relationships with, I have to think about this scripture and ask God to break it all the way down for me and others. Lord, help us to remain faithful in you as we seek to gain wisdom on what we should hope for instead of the things we simply look for, Hebrews 11:1-3,
1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. 3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
I recently told one of my best friends that a particular guy (who will remain nameless) never gave me Christ during the time of our courtship. Every time I think about Ephesians 5 and I try to compare it to our courting, not one time did he show any resemblance to Christ especially as it relates to this scripture. Now before people claim I am going too deep...let me remind you that the WORD tells us the following in John 1. It is because of the WORD of God that I continue to eliminate the lies of darkness because the light of God's word forever shines so bright.
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a] and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b] (NLT)
It is in this truth that I can sit back in the presence of God and listen to Him loud and clear about what He has prepared and planned for my life. My Boaz has to resemble Christ, because it was through the bloodline of Boaz that Christ came down generations to make his earthly presence known. So many modern women refer to their husbands or future husbands as "BOAZ" who is also a type and shadow of Christ.
So in my studying of this scripture and speaking with my best friend I realize three things. The guy I courted never gave me Christ in his three distinct examples from his bloodline. All three examples require ACTION which is a VERB! (That is the English teacher in me).
Christ as Boaz - To Provide (Jehovah Jireh)
Christ as David - To Praise (Jehovah-Tsid-Kenu)
Christ as Jesus - To Protect (Jehovah Nissi)
I will come back to Ephesians in a moment but let me tell you what God gave me about these very different types of Christ and how it related to the guy I once courted.
1. He Never Gave Me Christ as Boaz (To Provide)
Ruth 2:6-9
6 And the foreman replied, “She is the young woman from Moab who came back with Naomi. 7 She asked me this morning if she could gather grain behind the harvesters. She has been hard at work ever since, except for a few minutes’ rest in the shelter.” 8 Boaz went over and said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Stay right here with us when you gather grain; don’t go to any other fields. Stay right behind the young women working in my field. 9 See which part of the field they are harvesting, and then follow them. I have warned the young men not to treat you roughly. And when you are thirsty, help yourself to the water they have drawn from the well.”
What is interesting about this scripture is that one, Boaz made provisions for Ruth before even really knowing who she was. The same way Christ made provisions for us on the cross before our spirits ever met our bodies and introduced us to the world. Another indication of the connection of Boaz to Christ is that he called her "daughter". It is by no coincidence that the Father of Heaven ,who wrapped himself in flesh, came down the genealogy bloodline of Boaz to speak to his daughter; who came from a family which never knew Him. So even in the book of Ruth, Christ made himself known without telling us who he really was. Boaz also informed her that when she was thirsty to help herself to water from the well. This also referenced Christ and his meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:9-15. The topic of living water was even present in Ruth as Christ continued to give us indications of who He was and why He was coming into this word.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.[b] She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
There were times during our courtship in which the young man would make comments about not being able to provide for me financially due to some recent setbacks he had endured. At first I was offended by these statements because I was never the type of female to date a man based on his financial status. I never sought out to be with a man based on how much money he made or what he could buy me. But then something came to my memory about it which further made me realize God had something better in store for me. I did not need to settle for a relationship in which one could not fully function as the head, as this guy clearly was communicating to me. I had to listen with an open ear an understanding heart that this man was simply telling me he was not the one. Because of my eagerness to defy the odds and not become the stereotypical gold-digging female, I simply excused his comments as him beating himself down for not being the "man" he thought he should have been. The way I saw it, we were simply dating and had not moved into the relationship phase, so there was no need for him to have those concerns about being a provider for me. Boy was I wrong!
As God further breaks down the connection of Boaz and Christ to provide...I also remembered a few other things about this courtship. During the course of us getting to know each other, there seemed to be insecurities about him which hindered his ability to be accepting of the woman God had created me to be...Proverbs 31! The fact that God had opened so many doors for me seemed to make him look at himself and realize that he had not used his time to the best of his ability. So many times he would tell me that he felt like "he wasted so much time and he has nothing to show for it". Now I must mention that there was almost a 10 year age difference between us. From where he stood close to 40, I may have accomplished so much more in life at the age of 29 than he had. In my heart I simply believed that his life was not over and it was never too late. I had the heart and compassion to be understanding and supportive, yet that is not what he wanted. I was trying to help a man who did not want a HELP MEET! So I had to step away.
Today I am at peace with walking away from the situation. I believe that God has someone so much better for me and I do not have to settle for just anything or anyone. There were things said/done that did not reflect Christ. The entire time I felt something was missing from the entire courtship. Something that was of value and merit. Something that was the glue to us being around each other. Despite him being a believer, he still did not have the key ingredient to unlock my heart. He was not a man that reflected Christ as it relates to the man God has for me.
I serve a God who loves me and provides for me on a daily basis. I am not asking God to send me a man who will try to replace God because that will NEVER happen, but I am asking God that since His word cannot come back void...then Ephesians 5 still holds true to its power even on this eve of Valentine's Day. With God EVERYDAY is a day of action in which He continues to show me His undying love and affection as my provider. So at the end of the day I further realize God is sending me a man who has a heart after his own and understands what it means when the Bible says...25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
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