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May
2004 |
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Diocesan Women's Sunday
(a letter from Mrs Julia
Yong) |
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Dear Sisters
in Christ,
Grace and
peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Happy Women’s Sunday
2004.
As I traveled
around our Diocese and our Province and in fact around the world, the Lord
has gracious led me to rediscovering what it means to be made in the image
of God. What a wonderful thing it is, that God would project a reflection
of Himself in us. We are so different and yet we are all made by the same
Creator God. Each one of us is specially and uniquely made. In God’s
infinite wisdom, He chose to reveal His nature in two distinct genders -
male and female. “...male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:17). One
is to complement the other, and in the process, gaining insight into His
nature. |
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As men
and women, we have been created equal and yet different. In this
modern age we often hear of people fighting for “Rights”. We have
become more competitive rather than complementary. Often times, we
think that things need to be exactly the same in order to be equal,
and if they are different, then one has to be better than the
other. However, in God’s Kingdom, things can be completely
different, but divinely equal. In God’s Kingdom “There is neither
Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one
in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:8). In this same way, we are all
equal in God’s sight and in His Kingdom. |
As men and women, we have been created equal and yet different. |
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What makes us
different? Often women have an incorrect image of themselves. Consequently
they feel they have to fight for their rights and promote their image.
However, if we have a proper self image according to God’s Creation, we are
a very privileged and blessed lot. In fact God has so honoured us that He
has placed us in such strategic positions that we can reach out to and have
great influence in almost every sector of our society. It is in knowing
that our worth comes from our identity in Christ that we derive freedom to
live as God has intended for us. It is this life in Christ that gives us
the freedom to develop feminine spiritual qualities of inner beauty which
might require gentle strength, wisdom, submissiveness, humility, etc. It
enables us to find great joy, purpose, and honour as we take our position
in our society as good Christian wives, mothers, grandmothers, daughters,
aunts, stay home / working women, or whatever else that God has called us
to be. What a privilege it is to be given the wonderful awesome gift of
giving glory to our Almighty God by reflecting His image in us to the world
around us.. |
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Dear sisters,
this is my prayer for us this year:
Lord, help us
to discover what it means to be a woman of God. Reveal to us specific
traits, unique to us, that you have poured into our lives. Show us the
aspects of Your nature that You have patterned us after. Help us to be more
obedient in fulfilling the roles you have called us to, but always realizing
that our identity is not rooted in roles, but first and foremost, our
identity is in You. Help us to look to You, the author and the perfector of
our faith. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
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