What shows itself in the natural can reflect our understanding (or lack of it) of higher happenings. With all the incidents of single parenthood--an unbalanced scenario that inflicts pressure and responsibility on one person, how could a purely male God represent parenthood for the male/female family he ordained? Dare I question the status of deity, but--in the natural, wouldn’t the higher voice on family matters be speaking from experience? If God were 100% masculine, where did women come from? Is God ruling the universe as a macho male with no traits of femininity? If that be the case, no wonder most people are afraid of him, for no softness or nurturing would be found. Truthfully, if God were a single parent, I’d prefer a female.
Speaking from my experience, most who mention God or reference diety use a male personification: “He”, “Him”, “Father”, “Papa”, “Daddy”. Oh, years ago, a female singer was picking up her award and made the comment she would like to thank God--referring to a “she”. Whatever her perspective was and whatever her intention was, most laughed at it. Though decades have past, I wonder how many persons were really stirred in some way by that reference.
This was during the outspoken years of women’s lib, and wasn’t a surprising happening. Women were burning their bras, throwing off husbands, attacking marriage in its "trapped subordination" lack of appeal. There were some valid points gaining attention, important concepts were being spot-lighted, and--even though taken to the radical left--they needed addressed. Women have always had to fight and suffer loss for everything they’ve gained ground on. It’s been a war--all the way. Women are considered the weaker sex. That could be blamed on a scripture in 1 Peter concerning a wife being the weaker vessel. Or, it could be because women vs men in the physical arena shows differences attributed to higher levels of testosterone that men naturally have. Yet, many attitudes of a woman’s “inherent” weakness go back to blaming Eve for partaking of forbidden fruit that cursed us all. This is a black and white concept that throws fuel on the fire of a second class gender.
The Garden of Eden aside, is it a repulsive thought to think of God as having a female side? I am not talking about gods and goddesses--like the pagan Roman and Greek concepts. My meaning is: one God possessing conjoined genders, and this depiction is very scriptural. Ignorant carnal concepts continue to distance men from their creator. Our make-up, our functions, our desires are no accident. They are intentional consequences of the One who made us to be conformed to his likeness. Even though the finished product is not completely showing forth in this realm, we are the real version of what God had in mind. He didn’t make a mistake and we didn’t hinder his plans.
God in his essence and character is as a multi-faceted gem. Like a diamond, shining radiant life and light expressions from each side, is our Father, the Creator. While this is only a symbolic analogy--for God cannot be contained in any space (all space is contained within him)--this visualization is essential in understanding that God is not a flat, black-or-white entity. While he is spirit, he manifests himself into a visible creation as all the life forms we see around us; this is an allegory, in itself, of who he is. Religion may make him just male, but creation speaks past that.
Males and females of the same species are not unequal--just different. God created a race of “Adam”--male and female he called “them” (Genesis 5:2). Ish and isha is the original language, ish being a man and isha being a “female” man. The word woman means "womb man", or a man with a womb! We didn’t create ourselves. This was God’s design, and came out of Him. When Adam (symbolic of spirit) was put into a sleep and Eve removed, this parable reflects the reality of the soul of mankind referenced in the feminine gender. (And both spirit and soul are of the Creator, for they came out of Him!) The spirit of God expressed himself in male and female; thus, the male and female sides of the creator.
Mankind may have a hard time dealing with a concept of female in diety, but she is already there. This reality desperately needs embraced and acknowledged. We must accept and appreciate this beautiful, nurturing aspect of our creator. Men who know God as only Father are in need of receiving from the doting Mother side. Many, many times when we are ministered to by God, it is El Shaddai--the female nature of God, who is doing that stroking of our heads and hearts.
Speaking again of the “diamond”, the inward center represents the concentrated oneness of his essence-- wherein lies all of his completeness in varied, versatile personalities. They are bonded together in unity--a divine nuclear fusion, but the whole is our self-contained Creator. He addresses each situation according to the need at hand, and the different facets of the diamond are unique displays of those outshinings. If we need Father, he is there; if we need Mother, she is there. He is also husband, wife, son, daughter, sister, brother, friend. Oh, that we could receive from him as such, for all of "our" roles came out of God's perspective.
His many natures are expressed in the Hebrew language with corresponding names of his purpose in visitations. To the patriarchs, he was “God Almighty”--or El Shaddai, the divine female expression in creation, in blessing, in fertility. This is the “breasted one”, the one who nurtures, the one who comforts and MOTHERS the children. “El” means God. “Shaddai” comes from the Hebrew word “shadayim” for breasts. It is specifically a woman’s breast, capable of milk-producing. This Person is a life giver!
"I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]: be fruitful and increase in number" (Gen. 35:11); "By the Almighty [El Shaddai] who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.” (Gen. 49:25), NIV.
My references to God as “he” are my respect and acknowledgment of his order. I have never spoken of my heavenly Father as “she”, because his structure presents the male as protector and provider of the family, the one ultimately in charge, the King. His kingship, however, is one with his Queen. This Royal union never strays from the principal of love. The female nature of God is His life pulse. She has resident power, but is represented in gentleness, kindness, mercy, compassion, nurturing; He is represented as the strong arm, the one to enforce correction, the one with tenacity and unmoving resolve to remove every disruption to order. Yet they are bonded together, side by side, moving in one accord with love for creation. God is Father with Mother tucked into His heart. Psalms 91:4 displays this father/mother nature so beautifully. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (NIV) It's the mother bird who does the protecting of the young.
I know so many wounded people who need a mother’s love to comfort them, to nurse them. Father just doesn’t fill the shoes for that administration. Is there a distance between so many in our world and God because natural fathers have been all too often shown to be more demanding, less forgiving, non-demonstrative of affection (to their sons), and--many times--brutal? There are exceptions, of course, but the status quo shows human fathers in that light. Truthfully, emotionally healthy men who are fathers become such beautiful examples of the male/female roles to both genders of their children.
The attitudes of many toward females in authority present a condescending view. Plus, legalistic religious perspectives cast an oppressive vote on women in general. But there have been some breakthroughs in the fog residing over the eyes of mankind--including women. In his book The Shack, Wm. Paul Young uses an African-American woman to represent God in most of the story. “She” is a “he” called “papa”. What a refreshing outlook on the God of the universe! The reasoning and concepts for this depiction were sensitive, intelligent, practical, and scriptural. Yet many Christians rejected the whole book because of this. However, those persons are not on a spiritual journey, at least not right now. They are not looking for truth. They are not open to God. They don’t even seek him about these things. Sad as this is, life moves on.
Many wonderful women have surpassed the role of womanhood and left their marks on history. Just one example is Golda Mier, a powerful, capable and steadfast leader, being Israel’s only female Prime Minister. While we have many examples today of women who have made their strides in leadership and politics, the most important are those who have excelled in the home. Many have done so as singles. What greater calling is there than trying to produce loving, secure children to present to the future world as assets? God feels this way, too, or we wouldn’t even be here.
Who decided to populate the planet with males and females? Who wanted a family? Who first spoke of husbands and wives? Who set the pre-requisite standard of reproduction as needing male and female for success? Where did the beauty of motherhood come from if a maternal instinct wasn’t residing in the creator’s bosom? What is the most beautiful sight at a wedding? Why did Paul call Jesus Christ the husband of his followers, and why were those he pursued called his bride?
My emphasis is of the divine perspective of females being very important in the scheme of things. A mother would die for her children. A mother is life-giving and selfless. This was the divine personality who mothered Jesus in the womb of Mary. Father (El Elyon--the Most High) overshadowed Mary so her mind and body could handle the divine conception, but the Son of God was in the heart first, then in the creative abilities of Father and Mother in the heavenlies. We must embrace the reality of the female nature of God to overcome the fear of the terrible male tyrant who wants to punish all, who demands sacrifices and who has very little tolerance for his own creation! That is all spawned by the dead religious mind.
Could it be that God is paving the way for a feminine acceptance and revelation that speaks more highly than any other has before? Concerning this great spiritual truth coming to the forefront now, we must open our minds and hearts to receive the beauty of the complete nature of our God. He is male and female. He is complete within himself. This truth first showed itself in the Garden of Eden when the Adamic race of male and female was formed (from God’s visual of himself). This race of men didn’t identify yet with the power of their souls, so God opened their eyes to that realm. The soul realm--Eve (mother of all living) had been infused into Adam from the heart of God, and was an expression of El Shaddai.
Yes, our God is a family man! His parenthood is replete with two genders and his manifestation of this to us is in a race of males and females who within themselves have spirits and souls (males and females). I guess it isn’t really a man’s world after all. And that’s liberating, because broken people need to know that God is not only a protector of his family, but also has tenderness and compassion. We saw it in Jesus, as he allowed John to receive his affection--laying his head on Jesus' chest. We heard it in his words of love, also, but he could only stand on this earth as one gender. I believe males have a special need to be encouraged by this--to be open to God’s mothering. But She is there for all of her children. The healing, nurturing nature of God is the feminine side of his character. This is extremely good news! All broken children (young and old) can let themselves fall into the loving, maternal arms of the Mother inside God, our Father.
