Lucifer + Eve

(scroll down for the continuation of the story)

Let's continue this conversation about the mystery that is "Woman".

I am thrilled just thinking about this endeavor! So much glory is hidden in God's masterpiece, and I really believe that we have barely skimmed the surface.

If you read my last post, I put together a creative piece to explain the indescribable. I paired my imagination with the Holy Spirit, and wrote about how it was for God to create the first woman, before the world got ugly and skewed our perspectives on both women and men.

I have respect for the many women who went before me, fighting for voting rights, equal pay, etc. I do not support the demeaning of men or the masculine nature though. I am absolutely sure that men are not the issue, although I can admit that in my life I have had to battle that one, because it often seems as though they are.

But the real enemy behind all of this is the devil, who hates both men and women, and has worked hard to pervert society's expectations an understandings of the two beautiful representations of God. The thing is, he's worked hard to exploit and sexualize women, but also has insidiously worked under the guise of religion and shame, and a very fear-driven "purity culture". Women often relate to either of the two, depending on their story. Some can relate to both, for example, after feeling oppressed, shut down and controlled by a religious shame culture, they may then react and plunge deep into another perversion. A perversion is simply a "wrong version". A fight for freedom that is driven by hate, fear, anxiety is a lofty battle, and a perversion of true freedom, which is discovered through love.

I want to be clear here: I am not supporting either end.

I love purity, and I believe true holy purity is contained within love and empowerment. Healthy purity is being able to relate to your body without shame, and not to shut it down or ignore it. From this place, you are able to value the sacred Holiness of what God gave you in sexuality, a design for the covenant of marriage - the most Holy unified representation of us and God with our spouse. Knowing this value, you are able to embrace things such as modesty and protecting the purity not from a place of shame or fear, but a royal sense of self-love and value for sexuality.

To be free from the shame culture, I do not believe that the answer is to win back your freedom in your own strength. I cannot stress enough that true freedom is found in Jesus, and if you haven't found that to be true yet, I would suggest that the issue is not with Jesus Himself, but your understanding of who He is. If truth makes us free, then we need to allow ourselves to become students of it, and forsake any pre-conceived ideas that we may have obtained through our own experiences.

That is a bold statement to make, I understand that. But I can say it because it has been my own journey. God the father alone holds the original blueprint design for femininity. World religions, Hollywood, society, and mis-interpreted scripture have attempted to get their smeary little finger-prints on it, causing the world even more pain and confusion.

Here's my conclusion in the mystery: If it's not good, it's not God.

What is good, though? We must look at the life of Jesus.

Sunday school answer? Yeah, I realize that. I just don't have the space to open up the entire Bible right now for you. But God's goodness can be seen when we take a look at his characteristics: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

If there is fear in your viewpoint, then it is not the truth, it's not God. If there is hatred, anger, unrest within your viewpoint, then it is also not God. A lack of trust, of seeing beauty or of thankfulness: then it is also not God.

Ok, that's enough for now, who wants a story?

LUCIFER + EVE

Lucifer snarled in the thicket as the father took his new daughter, Eve, for an afternoon stroll in the garden. She was perfect, emanating the very radiance of God, glowing with the delight of a beloved daughter. Lucifer couldn’t quite hear their conversation from the safe distance he kept, though he saw a grand amount of pointing and explaining, as father and daughter indulged in tasting various fruits. He saw them wiping the juice off of their wide, teeth-bearing grins as they laughed together.

Bitter hatred continued to spawn within his heart toward this little lady – the apple of heaven’s eye. The beauty of God fully had been lavished on this one small creature while his own beauty was fading away. He hissed at her, but to his utmost horror and shock, he saw an extra-long, black tongue hang limp from his mouth. A snake-like tongue. His outer appearance was very much manifesting the inner rotten state of his heart, now for all creation to recognize the outlaw that he was. He covered his face in agony, wrapping his body in his scaly arms and digging his nails into his skin. Hatred. Pure hatred toward himself and God’s goodness caused his own blood to curdle. Suddenly, Lucifer could hear running human sounds from behind, so he cowered behind a boulder.

“Oh, father!" gasped Adam, "She is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh!”Tears were streaming down his face. Eve ran toward Adam, with the vibrancy of seeing an old friend for the first time in years. They embraced, and the three exploded in contagious giggles. It was as though Adam and Eve knew they came out from one another, simply to be reunited as two becoming one. Eve began to cry as she continued to hold on to her dear friend, Adam. Then, finally, father let loose, and the three began to weep and laugh all at once. Everything was absolutely perfect, undefiled and wonderful.

Pure love colored the garden in glory. For Lucifer, however, this joyful reunion was far too much to bear, as his hatred continued to intoxicate him. He blocked his ears against the sounds of jubilee, as though they were causing pain.

Eve had officially become Lucifer’s greatest threat. She was now the fairest in the land of delight, after the Lord himself of course. She possessed everything he ever wanted: glory, honor, beauty, majesty… even to the point of being made in the image of God himself! Lucifer closed his eyes and remembered all the glittering robes he once wore, and the beauty and majesty that he once lived amongst. Now cast out of heaven, his lights were beginning to fade. He watched Eve, powerful in beauty, radiance, hope… made in the image of God, yet not desiring equality with him. “She probably isn’t even aware of what she has…” He thought to himself. Then he got the idea:

The idea to manipulate her into his own puppet of self-destruction and demolish God’s family plans, obliterating the rest of humanity as his revenge toward God.

But first, he would need to somehow separate her from God, perhaps by rebellion or disobedience. Then, he would shame her, over-expose her, sexualize and violate her, drag her in the dust of oppression and torment her until she could no longer look like God. He would confuse her with opposing truths about her value, tell her that power is in independence, cause her to live alone in anxiety and share in his self-hatred until she would develop some kind of obedient relationship to his every sugar-coated yet evil command. Finally then, he could have her distorted beauty as his own image, and rule over God’s children.

As the night began to close in, fireflies began to orbit around Adam and Eve, draping them in the delight of their golden glow. The father sighed in a way that made everyone feel satisfied and at peace. It was bed time, so the pair began to bid goodnight to the father. “Thank you so much for this wonderful day!” said Eve, throwing herself into his arms. Adam had already begun walking back to prepare a place for her, whistling along with the birds as they sang their evening worship. Lucifer cracked his knuckles.

The father held Eve close to his beating heart, knowing that this would be the last time that they would embrace - without hindrance - for a long time. He held her long and close. She could feel his heartbeat throbbing for her, the powerful force of love that he is enveloped her. She melted into his chest. “I’ll see you in the morning.” He said calmly, taking extra time to look into her innocent eyes. He smiled, “You have my eyes, darling.” And he held her out a little, just so that he could see more of her. He had a very pleased expression that steadied her beating heart. His omniscience absorbed all her unknowing. Wide eyed, she looked upon Yahweh with complete adoration. Long and close, he pulled her in once again, as though he didn't want to let her go. “In the morning.” He confirmed with confidence, and his glistening eyes were a mystery of eternal love.

As she began to walk in the path that Adam had made her, God called for Gabriel. “An assignment for you.” He handed over a scroll, though his watery eyes were still fixed on his princess daughter as she clumsily and beautifully wondered through the garden, stopping every now and then to marvel at another plant or animal, or to say hello to the angels along the way. Gabriel took the scroll. “Go at once to the virgin Mary, the daughter of Eve, and tell her that she shall bear a son… the savior of my world.” Said the father, with his world right there, before his eyes, wondering clumsily into the darkening night.