Loving what God Fashioned

Today I caught myself doing something I think most of us ladies do; critiquing my body and feeling not so comfortable in my skin. I consider myself to be body positive. I’ve been blessed with a fairly active metabolism which has allowed me a significant amount of time without having to be overly conscious of my eating habits. For the most part my body has stayed in what our society views as generally “in shape”.

However, through most of my childhood and teenage years I was on and off a medication called Prednisone which in large quantities would alter my physical appearance so much and so quickly that I would become almost unrecognizable within a short period of time. The sudden fluctuations in weight from sick and very thin to weight gain and swelling for such a large part of my life, especially through my young adulthood, left me with a lasting struggle with body image.

I know that having a healthy body expectation and healthy habits are what’s most important but it’s tempting when looking in the mirror to zoom into those not so flawless parts of my body. Today, as I was poking some extra “cushion” and examining a few bits of cellulite I was reminded of the creation story.

In Genesis, we read how God created the earth and all the things we can see and feel around us. I heard a fabulous message from Kris Vallotton on the creation story and particularly about the formation of man and woman that reveals so much of God’s intention in how He designed us.

Scripture tells us in Gen. 2:5-7 that “God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life.” We know this is the defining difference between the animals that were formed on the Earth and Adam. Adam was given life through the very breath of God – it’s what gave him a spirit. As Adam is spending his first days on Earth God gives him dominion over the animals which were also formed from the dirt of the ground as well as the responsibility of naming the animals.  As Adam is naming each animal according to its kind he discovers a little problem. As all these animals are brought to Adam, in Genesis 2:20 it says “but he (Adam) didn’t find a suitable companion.” God sees that this is not good so he designs a helper for Adam. In verse 22 it says “God put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. God then used the rib that he had taken from the Man to make a woman and presented her to the Man.” Adam instantly knows Eve is exactly perfect for him.

Now this is where the English language doesn’t do this part of the story justice. In Genesis, when God formed man the Hebrew word used is yatsar which literally means “to form” but in Genesis 2:22 when God made Eve the Hebrew word is banah which means “fashioned”.

I don’t know about you but when I think of an artist or creator fashioning something I think of extra care and detail. I think of inspiration and masterpiece. Now we know that man and woman were both created in the image of God but something was different in the care God took to physically form Eve. I believe God created women to be beautifully desired, not in an unhealthy way, but beautifully designed to express God’s extraordinary craftsmanship and grace.

So today as I was nitpicking at myself I realized how silly it is to not recognize the wonderful masterpiece God made in me. This majestic creator perfectly chose the amount of pigment that would be my skin color, the exact shade of my eyes, the curvature of my arms and legs, the creases of my smile, my little pinky toe to the very last hair on my head. He designed all these features with gladness and approval. Why then do I fall for the old lie that I’m NOT beautiful?

In Romans 12:1, Paul says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.”

This is a declaration not only to care for our bodies and use our bodies for God’s work but also that our bodies are actually “holy” and “pleasing” to God. Caring for them and acknowledging our beauty is a form of worship!

If you are struggling with a poor body-image please know this - God desires for us to be healthy so we should be good keepers of this wonderful creation we are entrusted with but God also desires for us to see the beauty in what he has fashioned in the physical YOU – every single bit of you. As a parent when I look at my daughters I see the most beautiful little girls ever created. My girls also look very different from each other. Each with her own unique and utterly gorgeous features. Who knew these 2 girls that look so different could both be so perfect? I believe God, our father, sees us in exactly the same way.

So, the next time you look in the mirror and are tempted to list all the things about your appearance you don’t think are beautiful, don’t fall for that lie! Instead take a moment to thank God for your body and it’s amazing abilities and also to remember the way God sees it – holy and pleasing, a beautiful masterpiece, perfectly and uniquely fashioned just for you.

The Woman at the Well

Many of you may know the story of the Samaritan woman that met Jesus at the well. The story is found in John 4. There are a lot of fascinating and amazing revelations we can draw from this story, but I want to briefly summarize it for you. Jesus was heading to Galilee with his disciples which took them through Samaria. Now, if you remember from old ancient history the Samarians and the Jews hated each other, so much so in fact that it was nearly forbidden for a Jew to talk to a Samaritan. However, Jesus wasn’t afraid to push all the social boundaries when he was here!

So, here we find Jesus stopped at Jacob’s well for a drink of water. There he finds a Samaritan woman drawing water. He asks her for a drink of water which, considering society at the time, shocked her. She replied, commenting to Jesus that, “You are a Jew and I’m a Samaritan. How is it that are you interacting with me, asking me for a drink of water?” Jesus used this as an opportunity to bond with the woman saying, “If you knew who I was you’d ask ME for a drink and I would give you living water.”

To this the woman begins to warm to Jesus and actually finds common ground, noting that this was Jacob’s well – OUR father, Jacob’s well. Then she questions Jesus - how could he provide her water, he didn’t have anything to draw water with. Jesus tells her the water he provides would quench her thirst forever. This woman decides she wants in on this living water and so she asks for it. Jesus asks her to go get her husband and come back, to which she replies she has no husband. Jesus points out that she has had 5 husbands and the man she is currently with is not her husband. Understandably, from this encounter she has witnessed that there is something very different about Jesus then the other Jewish leaders and teachers. She then calls him “a prophet” and says, “the Messiah is coming.” Then Jesus declares to her, “I, the one speaking to you – I am He.”

This is when the disciples make their entrance (they were on a food run.)  They stand aside bewildered that Jesus is talking to a Samaritan woman. You see, this was against ALL social norms. Back in those days women were severely oppressed. Women were not allowed to own property, learn the Torah, or even be a witness in a court of law. They were often discarded, not only by men in society in general but also by their very own husbands. Yet here Jesus was talking with her, teaching her, and even offering her a gift! And a Samaritan woman nonetheless! Can you imagine the connection she would have felt with Jesus in that moment?

While there are many wonderful things to take from this story I want to highlight one point in particular. In that time and in that culture, women had virtually no rights and they certainly didn’t have the right to get a divorce yet here this woman has had 5. What does that tell us? It tells us this Samaritan woman had been rejected and discarded by 5 men. Again, and again, and again. And the man she is currently with doesn’t even want to give her the dignity of marriage.

I, like most people, thought that Jesus pointed this out to her as a sin to be forgiven. However, when Jesus points out to her that she has had 5 husbands it isn’t to shame her, it’s to connect with her heart. Jesus was saying “I know you’ve been rejected all these times but I see you and you are worth my gift of living water. You are worth my love and I want to give it to you!” What an impact that would have made on this woman who may have had a lifetime of shame and had endured far too often the sting of rejection! Here in this moment with Jesus she tastes the joy of acceptance.

The story goes on to tell us that this woman’s testimony radically changed her town and brought many others to believe in the truth of Jesus. Why did her testimony change her town? I don’t believe it was primarily because Jesus was able to tell this woman all these things about herself but rather it was her testimony that demonstrated the intense yearning God has to be close to his people. This God is a God of unconditional love and no matter what your past is, He wants YOU!

I think there are a lot of ladies out there like this Samaritan woman- hurting and alone and in desperate need for someone to point them to this same Jesus who can proclaim to them, “I SEE YOU! I desire you! And I desire the very best for you! I’m willing to ignore and cross all barriers to show you just how deep and wide my love is for you. You are not bound to what the world may think of you, but you can be renewed in the way I think of you!”

If you are walking with this broken identity I hope you feel yourself in this story. I hope you believe that God will demonstrate his love for you in the same way He did for this Samaritan woman. I hope you hear through this story just how dear and precious you are to God. If you are struggling with disconnect from God take a moment right now to pray for God to reveal his love to your soul and spirit. Claim this prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 for yourself. I took the liberty to change the “you” in these passages to the word “I”

 “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen me with power through his Spirit in my inner being, so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith. And I pray that I, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”