As I do it, may the Word continually put on flesh in and through me. (John 1:14. RBW Paraphrase)
Scripture readings: Matthew 5: 38-45.
Love Your Enemies
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.
Patricia’s meditation
‘Hey! What? How can You say, “don’t oppose evil”? Get a grip! What about all the suffering women have endured because of their sex since the beginning of time? OK, God, putting aside the world for a moment look at the church’s history. Bringing it right up to date, have You taken note of the abuse today’s male church leaders (substitute here, whoever it applies to) dole out to anyone ‘other’ than themselves?
Hey! They claim God has ordained men be “in authority, over” the church, the family, women’s future, our lives! They teach that You appointed their role as “head”. But they are not, and as for their biased masculinised language? Well, excuse me for not addressing God as ‘King’, “He”, “Lord” , “Father and Son” and reading, without change, “now are we the sons of God”. Just for the record, I know, “obey your husband”, “church male leaders only”, etc., is not taught anywhere in the Bible. But, hey, that is a discussion for another day.
Hey! Whatever happened to “love your neighbour as yourself”? Go figure. They use the bible material and their false theories and concepts to construct their oppressive teachings. They make up what they want the bible to say.: for example, they say they are in charge, and they also say we need their protection for our own safety, when the protection we really need is safety from them. They’ll come-up with anything to justify their male-domination-of-women doctrine.
What says the Scripture? What should be our bible confession? “We ought not to obey them, we ought, rather, to obey God.” (Paraphrase: RBW)
Where’s the justice! It just goes on and on, generation after generation. We are the ones who have been dis-appointed. For one sex to dominate the other is one of the most fundamental distortions imaginable. Its against our civil law, its against the International bill of Rights for Women, yet the church is above the laws of the land. Interesting is it not? They insist on submission yet they themselves, are a law unto themselves!
Two-thirds of the church is made up of women. We provide their financial support, hospitality, we visit and care for the sick and undertake other unpaid social work. The large majority of single parents are women.. The large majority of domestic violence and child abuse is carried out by men. But were expected to believe You put them in charge! Really!!
Someone said in a derogatory way, “the church is full of women!” It’s a strong possibility that the reason for this is because regardless of their treatment of us in the church, run mainly by men, we women do most of the personal evangelism, discipleship and general hospitality, social work and the financial giving to build the church. Yet they’re convinced You made them the teachers? Teach us what, I ask, how to serve while they lord it over us?
Oh God, hear my voice. God, I know what these patriarchal structures and the masculinisation of the language in the church and the home, such as ‘rule’, ‘authority’, ‘command’, belonging to men, with the expected response of ‘subjection’, ‘submission’ and ‘obedience’. Remember us women. Remember what this oppressive idolatrous system of the worship of a male god have done to me, my family, and so many of my sisters. I cry out for change, worldwide, I join my sisters and wail and cry out to you, God of the Universe, Creator, God of Justice, God of Mercy, without discrimination. Remember me and my sisters. Don’t hide yourself from us.
I know, I know, I must stop moaning and get a right spirit. The scriptures warn us and instruct us how to stay free from becoming entangled in their main ploy, of who is the greatest’. (One Contemporary Woman’s Midrash) See note below on ‘midrash’. ## Note).
My prayer. Join me if you so desire
Forgive me please, God of Friendship. I hand over to you my complaints. I can’t change the top-to-bottom hierarchical patriarchal system I have lived in and served you in for the last 50 years. But I can and do distance myself from it. I refuse to worship at its alter of ‘might makes right’. I refuse to obey it. I refuse to finance it. I refuse to justify it. Give me the courage to let go my sense of control over life and trust in the working of the radical Grace of God.
I do desire change. I ask, God of all Graciousness, to change me. I accept that my spiritual health is my responsibility. May You, The Great I Am and will be and continue to be I AM, the God of Healing Words that came as the Word in the flesh. May your healing words flow through me. I am what I am becoming through your grace. Bring forth new ways of thinking and living and help me to cultivate minute by minute awareness of your radical Grace, Forgiveness, Justification and Sanctification.
Enable me to forgive those who have missed the mark of reasonable Christian behaviour. I forgive each one that has spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and financially used me. Others who have publicly assassinated my character and others, who have verbally abused me to my face. Help me recover from the crushing sense of loss of my human potential; the life-long poverty imposed by the world church’s ‘system’. Please heal me of my hurt, my indescribable sadness, in that, I could not serve you to the fullest measure in my gifts and calling due to the present male dominated system and financial lack. If that is a reflection of my lack of faith in You, please forgive me. Heal me of the pain. I bring their names before you, now … (names). I forgive them. I ask also that where I have offended you in word and deed you would also be merciful to me.
Join me, if you will, in prayer for ourselves and all our sisters in Christ, wherever they may find themselves.
We pray that all of us will take responsibility for ourselves. Keep us from evil and self-deception born as a result of our unwillingness to change. We pray the prayer of repentance. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. Deliver us from evil. Deliver us from any ordeal we find ourselves in due to wrong actions, words, attitude and un-forgiveness. Teach us to have respect (godliness); give honour to whom it is due. To no longer covet what belongs to this world.
We have such treasure through grace in the here and now. Grant us as Christian women to live with moderation, as sensibly, sober-minded, and the wisdom to stay alert, for the present world is not our home. We join in agreement, asking the Redeming One, our Comforter, the All sufficient One, our Provider, our Patron, to meet all of ours and our loved ones’ daily needs along with those who cry out to you from the ends of the earth.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Patricia
Love to you and yours, ## Note: About One Contemporary Woman’s Midrash: Midrash is a mode of textual interpretation prominent in the Talmud. The Rabbinic approach is to discern value in texts, words, and letters. One Contemporary Woman’s Midrash questions the text, answers the text, adds to the text, clarifies it, brings in otherwise unmentioned bible characters to complete, or round out the meaning of the text, even bringing an argument against the text. In my writings, I have named myself as, One Contemporary Woman’s Midrash. My purpose is to listen and to detect the women’s worth, to give voices to the disregarded women characters in the bible, to bring forth fresh revelation to their seemingly insignificant presence. To resist and lessen the patriarchal narrative where men define themselves as superior. To create a new lens to look at the text and in some instances, replace it with a new view.
Reading the Bible as a Woman – Personal Devotional Christmas Day week: 25th December 2019
This week’s Scripture readings: 3 references : John 1: 14, John 8: 31, 1 John 4: 20.
As I do it, may the Word continually put on flesh in and through me. (John 1:14. RBW Paraphrase)
Jesus said, “If you do my teachings you will know them”. (John 8: 31. RBW Paraphrase)
If a believer says, I love my God of love, and hates her sister (or brother) in Christ, she is a liar: for if one does not love the members of her own spiritual community, the Body of Christ, who she can see, how can she love God whom she has not seen? (1 John 4:20. RBW Paraphrase. )
Patricia’s Meditation
As I do it, may the Word continually put on flesh in and through me. (John 1:14. RBW Paraphrase)
May the Word of God be manifested in us through the way we live. May it not be constrained. But rather, may it find a place to dwell in the spirit of our mind, and show itself, in a readiness to forgive any offence. Such an offence may be intentional or unwitting. Both demand forgiveness on each side of the disagreement. To do this we must find in ourselves the humility to seek forgiveness.
Join me in personal prayer if you so desire …
Dear Jesus
Help me to live in the moment, to be fully tuned-into my inner person, my thoughts, my words, as well as my outward actions.
May I cultivate a mind of peace and may it spread out in ever-increasing, influential circles.
Help me to understand my shadow person, which is recognisable to others, but in so many ways, hidden to me.
Help me to observe my inner and outer self expression, rather than those around me. What is it I resist? Upon what do I push against? Help me recognise my attitude to life in general, as well that towards particular individuals.
By my practice of prayerful mindfulness, help me to live in the present, without self judgment or blame, to cultivate a healthier me. Help me, as I seek new habits to support myself, bring me to a better understanding of the ways in which I am resistant to the change I so very much need.
I want to be content, first with myself and then with others. Open me up to greater intimacy with You and others, especially those I love and care for. Help me to create a safe space in order to enjoy reciprocal friendship and fellowship of mutual sharing.
Help me to find a time and place with You, for regular, quiet, intimate contemplation. Bring me to a state of awareness and confession in my weaknesses and shortcomings, day by day.
Help me to recognise attitudes and actions in myself and others that do not spring from grace.
What says the Scripture? What should be our bible confession? “there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.“
Please impart to me wisdom, knowledge and understanding. In all this, I will rest assured of your abundant grace to bring about the change in me I so earnestly desire.
Amen.
Join me, if you will, in prayer for ourselves and all our sisters in Christ, wherever we are at this moment in our lives.
I pray all of us have a peaceful holiday season. I pray peace finds a place to rest in our mind. I pray our basic needs are met, in that, all of us have a warm safe place, firstly, for our self, and, also, all those we are responsible for: to rest, be fed, feel secure and refreshed. That we all, you, and yours, me, and mine, are safe from violence and oppression of any kind.
For those in need of medical attention, those affected by fire, flood, famine, or other cataclysmic events, those who have no sure dwelling place or are trapped in violent circumstances, those suffering persecution for their faith, may all our needs be met. We together here and now, as we read, join in agreement, asking the Almighty One, our Comforter, the All sufficient One, our Provider, our Patron, each day, to meet all of our daily needs.
In Jesus name.
Love to you and yours,
Patricia