About a decade ago I started to introduced the idea of ‘God’s feminine side’ in my teaching / preaching. My desire was simple, I wanted to be true to scripture. True to the creation story and, in so, doing offset any misogynistic or patriarchal ideas that were unbiblical and encourage women that their femininity is a valid part of the 'likeness' of God and a gift.
Just the mention of God being female or having female attributes should rightly get any Christian worried of heresy. God refers to himself consistently with male pronouns and with predominantly male images and types. He is The Father. Likewise Jesus is The Son, He was male physically too. Jesus refers to God the Father as 'daddy', and He would know! The Spirit, well He is referred to as a He (though this is worth of another post about the female characteristics of the Spirit!!). Regardless, God is referred to with masculine pronouns and names. To refer to God as a woman or as a 'she' would be a step too far from how God has chosen to reveal Himself. Nevertheless, it's important to remember the obvious, God the Father doesn’t have genitalia. He is not a man, in fact the Bible tells us that He is spirit (John 4:24). So we can all relax, I am not about to suggest we pray to 'mother god' or sing "god is a woman" (thanks Ariana Grande). But don't relax too much as I am saying that God is also female!
God is without doubt also she, in some respects. He is a she, in the same way that He isn't really a man. If you can follow that. He isn't either. Everything unique about women emulates from who God is. Both men and women together are made by God in His likeness (Genesis 1:27). The very first thing in the history of the world that was ‘not good’ was a man on his own! (Genesis 2:18) Only when women were created was it truly 'good'.
Only when women were created was it truly 'good'
So, women, you reflect God in ways that are not as natural for me as a man. I am so, so grateful for that. So mesmerised and awed by the way you seem to do certain things with ease. I think all men are! We love having days to celebrate you, mothers day, women's days, I think you will agree we all go bigger on these days than say 'fathers day'. I think it's because we want to celebrate how wonderfully you have been made. Ladies you reflect some God qualities which I wish I possessed. Thankfully God was smarter and made these great qualities sit in my counterpart so we can complement one another. God refers to His female qualities regularly - here are just a couple of Bible verses where God reveals His feminine characteristics and metaphors:
God comforts His people like a mother comforts her child (Isaiah 66:13)
The bond between God and man is like that generated between a woman nursing a child (Isaiah 49:15)
God is like a mother eagle hovering over her young (Deuteronomy 32:11)
God passionately seeks the lost like a woman, trying to find her dowry (Luke 15:8-10)
God cares for His people like a midwife that cares for the child she just delivered (Ps 22:9-10, Ps 71:6, Isa 66:9)
God's fury when at it's strongest it like that of a mother bear robbed of her cubs (Hosea 13:8)
Jesus cared paternally for the people, like a mother hen longs to gather her chicks under her wings (Luke 13:34)
Wisdom of God is referred to consistently through Proverbs as female (Proverbs
The word 'compassion' in the Bible is related to the 'womb' - the words are linked - see etymology
Ok so what am I saying?
Simply that God has feminine attributes as well as masculine. Men are not the best image barer and neither are women, God is not 'more' masculine than feminine. It is our created privilege, both men and women, to uniquely display God's likeness to the world through our genders!
Ladies remember today that when God looks in the mirror His reflection includes your beautiful femininity.
Clement, the bishop of Alexandria who lived around 150-215 A.D said; “In his ineffable essence he is father; in his compassion to us he became mother. The father by loving becomes feminine.” - Not sure if I agree with him entirely as if 'compassion' is solely the estate of women. However, I would agree with what he was trying to imply.
If you think about the most powerful reveal that God makes in the Old Testament is 'I AM' it is NON gendered!!! Worth remembering.
I feel a sense of sadness every time I hear discussions about homogenising the genders. The fact that we are two groups that together reflect God to the world is a powerful and amazing thing. The fact that there has to be diversity to express God in any way is obvious as He himself is represented in a triune. We should celebrate differences and strengths as well as make up for and 'help' (we were designed to help each other) cover each others weaker spots. We are NOT gods and so it stands to reason that neither men nor women would be as good a reflection of God on our own. Together we are not God either, but a much fuller reflection than apart. Note, I am not talking about marital/sexual union here, though it clearly includes that. I am saying men and women working together, playing, relating and doing life in general.
The image of God is born out in men and women TOGETHER. We must must realise that attacking the genders in all the variety of ways that we see in todays society is not a new plan. This has been the plot of the devil since the beginning. To cause division at the very heart of the image of God, US, men and women!
Ladies please know that you are celebrated and loved. You are cheered on by myself and men all over the world who are astounded by your seemingly limitless capabilities, incredible compassion, fierce loving protection and that you seem to do it with such grace. I am grateful that you express parts of God's character that I fail to express. I am humbled that you care for and challenge things that we, men, overlook, but matter deeply to God. God's 'compassion' as spoke throughout the entire Bible is linked to women as the word in Hebrew comes from the word for womb.
Ladies remember today that when God looks in the mirror His reflection includes your beautiful femininity. He sees you!!
Please don't hide your femininity, please don't suppress your female strengths and desires. The world needs them. Men need them and God loves them.
It is Mother's Day as I write this, and so it is worth saying to women, especially in the role of motherhood, that you grow to reflect God in a way that is even more uniquely powerful and wonderful. Thank you!
Huge love
Joss
A slight aside:
I have been deeply saddened over the last few days to hear women speak about their fear of men. I have been deeply saddened that men have felt attacked purely for being male. I am furious that women have to fear being sexually assaulted or raped and it brings me to (righteous) anger and a desire for justice and change. I am also angry that terms like 'toxic masculinity' are seemingly ok to be used. (I will be talking more about these subjects over coming weeks, hold on to your hats lol)
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