DR (Mrs.) Fehintola Asa
Texts: 2 Tim 6:11-21
I believe no injustice has been done to the scripture even though the text says “but thou oh man of God” but for the purpose of our mother’s day “but thou oh woman of God” is apt so much so the Bible says that in Christ there is neither male nor female.
We all know that it is a great privilege that we are ‘of God,’ we belong to God; we contain Him and possess His qualities. The ‘but’ there introduces us to the responsibilities. As there are privileges to be connected to God, so also there are responsibilities. Responsibilities are the demands God places on you because of the fact that He has given you these privileges.
In a broader sense, it is the way we handle these privileges and responsibilities that would determine the outcome of our lives; that would determine whether we would fulfill God’s purpose for our lives or not. Let us decide to be of God. Let us decide to be women of God indeed, and at the end of it all, the privileges usually override the responsibilities.
This charge of belonging to God, with its privileges and responsibilities is best demonstrated in the lives of some men called of God in the Bible. They include Moses, Elijah, Elisha and David to mention a few. Of all these men, there was no mere man. They all had great privileges, attained great heights and with that came great responsibilities. It wasn’t an ordinary task that God required from all of these saints.
What are the privileges we can look forward to when we decide to be of God?
– The blessing of Abraham
Genesis 24:1 (KJV)
And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.
We can expect the same too if we are of God.
– The blessing in Deut 28:1-14 talks about numerous blessings that we have access to if only we decide to serve God.
– Also in the New Testament, Rom 8:28 downwards. It talked of the fact that we are called of God, we can enjoy His predestination, His justification, His glorification and indeed, according to II Pet 1:3-4.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (KJV)
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: [4] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
We can have all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
So in our choosing, I counsel that we choose to be of God. It shall be a thing of immense blessings and benefits to us if we decide to be of God. In narrowing it down now, let us observe some women in the Bible. Let’s see how they manage the privileges and responsibilities that God gave them.
– EVE: She had some privileges. She was the mother of all.
Genesis 3:20 (KJV)
And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
There are many first models but the second model is always an improvement upon the first one. Eve was the last model after Adam that God made which made her to be very special. Also, her responsibility in tending the Garden of Eden alongside her husband was a simple but she made a shipwreck of it. She gave in to her doubts and as a result of that, she was deceived and put man in a state of eternal chaos before Jesus bailed us out.
– HAGAR: She was a stranger just like us.
Genesis 16:1-4 (KJV)
Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.[2] And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. [3] And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. [4] And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
She was an Egyptian slave woman with many privileges. Sarah her mistress chose her above others and bestowed on her the benefit of birthing their child and sharing her husband. She misused the opportunity and floundered in her responsibilities. At the end she had to flee from her mistress but later, she had an encounter with God which sustained her and her young child. Our God is a God of another chance.
– SARAH: The mother of many nations.
Genesis 11:29 (KJV)
And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.
She was a beautiful woman. So beautiful that two great kings at different times contended, and could have killed the husband in order to have her as a wife. Her responsibility was to follow her husband, support him and provide him an heir. She doubted as she laughed when she heard the prophecy that she would even in her old age conceive and give birth. Later, she believed God for herself and received the strength to conceive.
– REBECCA: She was also a beautiful, caring and energetic woman.
Genesis 24:15 (KJV)
And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
Imagine drawing water for total strangers and their animals and later going away with them on an expedition to the unknown. No wonder her good works got her a loving husband who spotted with her in the public that a king who wanted to have her for a wife noticed it and disembarked. Her responsibility was to perpetuate Abraham’s lineage, though there was a delay. Guess what! It was recorded that Isaac was the one who prayed before they had their twin boys. We must learn to depend and commune with God.
– DEBORAH: She was a woman leader.
Judges 4:4-5 (KJV)
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. [5] And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.
She was privileged to be the only female leader of the Israelites, a prophetess and a wife to Lapidoth. She liberated the Israelites and won them a great victory in their war. Her tasks were multi-faceted and she performed excellently. She rose up to a challenge that even a man was afraid of. In all of these, she gave the glory to God. We must all seek God to know and follow our purpose.
– ABIGAIL: A woman of good understanding and a beautiful countenance.
1 Samuel 25:3 (KJV)
Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.
She was a woman of means who provided for David and his men through her swift intervention. She was a messenger of peace. But for her, David would have slaughtered the household of Nabal her churlish husband. Also, she bore the misfortune of being married to a terrible man very well. She fulfilled all her responsibilities and later because of her diligence got married to David. Let us make the best of the situations of our lives.
– RUTH: She had some privileges too.
Ruth 1:4 (KJV)
And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years.
Although, she was a Moabite but she was fortunate to be married to a Jew. She perceived that God was with Naomi, her mother-in-law and she followed her all the way and she vowed that only death would separate them. She made a decision to serve Jehovah, the God of Naomi, thus planting herself in the lineage of our Lord Jesus Christ. Her life was later blessed because she didn’t shy away from her responsibilities while Hopah her other sister-in-law took an inglorious choice.
– ESTHER: She was equally a very beautiful woman.
Esther 2:7 (KJV)
And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
An orphan in her youth and it was the onus of her uncle Mordecai to raise her in a godly way like his own daughter. She was favoured before the royal custodian too.
Esther 2:9 (KJV)
And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
Eventually, she emerged as the Queen and she rescued her people from annihilation having fasted and prayed, for she discerned she had become a royalty for such a time as this. How are you using your position to affect the lives of others?
– ELIZABETH: She was of the stock of Aaron who was married to a Priest.
Luke 1:5 (KJV)
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
Her responsibility was to give birth to the forerunner of Jesus Christ. Somehow, there was a delay in child-bearing but she didn’t despair. Her husband stood by her, however, because of unbelief, Zechariah was struck with dumbness until the delivery of their son John the Baptist. Despite her initial barrenness, she chose to serve God.
– MARY MAGDALENE: She didn’t have a good beginning because we learnt that it was in her that Jesus cast out seven demons. It was a privilege she had been with the Lord through His ministry on earth. She was at the tomb and was the first woman to behold our Lord after His resurrection. What a great privilege she had, and she did well in her responsibility to have prepared the body of Jesus for burial.
– MARY: Of all the women, God chose her to birth our Lord Jesus Christ. She kept her body chaste and pure in readiness for the Lord. She was a good mother to have brought up Jesus in a way that got Him prepared for His ministry. A woman of faith who received the promise and word of the Lord in humility.
Time would not permit me to examine other women, like the humble and rich Lydia, the seller of purple who after her demise was yet rich in good works. What about Dorcas, Priscilla the wife of Aquila contemporary of Paul, Eunice and Louise, the godly mother and grand-mother who brought up Timothy.
