By Joy Le Page Smith, MA, BCC

Gary and I read Scripture in the early A.M. We were in Genesis reading about God’s interactions with Adam and Eve.  I did the reading and after finishing, Gary said, “God uses the pronoun “he”—what about “she?”

I said, “Within God’s Word, ‘He’ always includes ‘she’ in the “he.” (Here C.S. Lewis would, say, “You are riding on a very tight rein here, Lady,” as the majority of languages do not use gender-specific pronouns.”)

He looked at me as if he was saying, “Wait a minute.”

There is more to say, of course. “When God made Adam and Eve, at first there was only Adam. Maybe God waited until Adam came to know there was something lacking in his life.  But the next happenstance is stunning: God put Adam into a deep sleep then took a rib out of him. (Rather than robotic surgery, it was “God’s rib-otics.”)

Next, He used the DNA of Adam’s rib to create a partner for him. And, Adam named her Eve “because she would become the mother of all living,” (Genesis 3:20).

Wow! That’s one very big accomplishment claimed for womanhood right at the start! Talk about power!

So God made them equally powerful. And “no.” a man does not have one less rib than a woman such as some claim. It is scientifically proven that both “a man” and “a woman” have 24 ribs.

Back to Gary’s retorts about the Genesis passage, specifically this one, “God took the “s” and put it in front of the “he.”

Hmm. Really. Is there some significance in this?

I am thinking “yes” because God wanted to make equality a clear message. He had said, “In Genesis 1:27, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Scripture shows Adam to be God’s first human being created and therefore the first to hear the voice of God. (As God intended Him to listen and learn, which would happen for Eve as well.)

God decided (maybe this holds water) to speak to Adam as “He” leaned hard on their equality. He and she within their equality received the message as one. After all, she was “to be “bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.”  Voila! Equality! One in God’s sight.

Note how God gave the most powerful ability to women, that of carrying new life within her body and therefore bringing children into life. Of course her impregnation came from Adam.

It seems the height of equality comes to the couple by God’s messages being addressed to “him.” And, “he” was intended to lovingly live out these truths–exemplarily. In this way, “she” sees how this works.

Of course, this works both ways. As “she” gets the message a woman can portray it to her husband by her words and actions day-by-day. Ephesians 5:22-33, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church . . .” Of course, if a man treats his wife without tenderly honoring her and loving her, it is hurtful, brings pain to both of them—and subverts God’s plan. (And this works both ways, for the woman as well as for the man.)

God’s ideal is for us to be with one another and love one another in a holy way, exemplifying His love as we team up and make the world a better place.

For sure, God is continually speaking to all people through the Bible, our Holy Writ, as well as to speak to us within our hearts.

Author information: Joy Le Page smith has authored four books. See these on her website: Healing-with-Joy.com where you will also find hundreds of helps to people who are hurting. Free as well as a story for children, The Little Mountain Goat Who Was Afraid of High Places.

Last Friday morning as thirty-some balloons filled the sky on my drive to work I was awestruck. I felt my heart arise with them. Then while on the job with a grieving family, I asked, “Have you gone outside to see the balloons. Immediately, the “yes” of this family showed clearly that they had felt what I had felt in seeing many balloons fill the sky that early morning. Changes in their words, tone of voices and their eyes said it all. They, too, had felt their hearts uplifted at the sight of the seemingly motionless, splendor of the balloons.

Last Friday morning as thirty-some balloons filled the sky on my drive to work I was awestruck. I felt my heart arise with them. Then while on the job with a grieving family, I asked, “Have you gone outside to see the balloons. Immediately, the “yes” of this family showed clearly that they had felt what I had felt in seeing many balloons fill the sky that early morning. Changes in their words, tone of voices and their eyes said it all. They, too, had felt their hearts uplifted at the sight of the seemingly motionless, splendor of the balloons.

For many of us, prayer lifts our hearts above the fears, dreads and deficits–the disappointments–that come as we do our days within the COVID experience. Shortages remind us “it is real.” We can’t deny it. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 55:6, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.”

Then, in verse 16, the tone changes as David exclaims,” As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.”

His prayer of lament continues, then David arises in his spirit as he writes for others what he has found to be true for himself, “Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”

No matter what happens in our bodies—and no matter how many changes we must endure, we were created to transcend. Our spirits are meant to arise above it all as we realize that meaning and purpose hold a hiding place for our souls.

We are loving beings. As we love we transcend. We “go up” in our hearts like the balloons. Even a few minutes of counting our blessings and thanking God for each of them sees us arise in our spirits. Seeing a new born baby does it for us, too. We are reminded of the gift of life and how precious it is.

Life is such a mystery! We come into this earth experience not knowing how long we will have, here. So, we set our minds on living long, into old age. Then when it doesn’t work that way for a loved one—or when we are told by our doctor “it could end soon” the bottom falls out for our hopes, our dreams. Reality hits like a sucker-punch in the gut.

Sometimes we are like the Psalmist. When times get hard we want to “fly away”. . . somehow, we want to “get high”—above it all. There is only one good way. And, that is through prayer.

Andrew Newberg, a medical scientist, wrote, Why God Won’t Go Away along with two other scientists. Through using SPECT MRI within their research, the results of their efforts revealed what happens physically when we pray or meditate for 12 minutes. (Yes, of course. Scientists measure everything!) These medical researchers demonstrate how there is a specific place within the brain that lights up “like fireworks” while the subjects they study are praying.

 A front page newspaper headline recently read, “Piloting a balloon is an ‘art.’” Prayer is also an art form. It takes setting a time and preparing a place to be alone with God—expecting to quiet our minds, talk to God—and listen. Then, when we do hear words in our hearts from Him, it is important to write them down.

Prayer helps us learn how to give our burdens to God so we can let go our fears and take on His peace. Reading Scripture tells us a lot about God and what His hopes are for us. When we make a practice of this, worshiping God comes natural as we learn of God’s great love for us. God’s presence in our lives enriches us. Though prayer, we learn to trust His guidance—and, much joy comes into our lives. We were made to transcend. Joy and transcendence go together.

The beauty of the balloons reminds me of the meaning and purpose God held for us while creating us. As, we were intended to be in relationship with Him. Adam and Eve walked and talked with God, as shown in the Book of Genesis. Within our days on earth, we can do so, as well.

We are made to love: God, self and others. As we embrace His purpose for us, we live meaningfully. While praying our way through our difficulties—we live ABOVE IT ALL.

Gabriel Faure’s Requiem Opus 48, bespeaks of rest and consolation that comes to us in death. Thanks be to God, we can also have it as we live out this life!

By Joy Le page Smith, MA, BCC