– Monday Muse –
Dear One, after struggling with a back problem from the last of August through the end of November 2020, the day for my MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) finally arrived. The unpleasant memory of being closed in a narrow cylinder for an MRI over twenty-years ago resurfaced several times. Each time it did, I shoved the thoughts to the back of my mind, telling myself, I managed before, I will do it again.
Well, like so much in this world, a lot has changed since 1999. For the imaging, I was placed in what is known as a wide-board MRI. I was told that patients often request that particular machine for its width and comfort. My memory was of being closed in like a sausage. After the technician made me comfortable with oval pillows under my back and knees, he gave me a pair of headphones tuned into my favorite composer, Tchaikovsky. Lastly, he placed something in my hand for communicating with him during the forty-minutes process. Once the tech had me inside the MRI, I found it almost pleasant. In fact, after a few minutes, before the strange noises began, I briefly nodded off. I was glad that I had not spent time worrying about the procedure.
When finished, I returned to the Ladies Dressing Room, and found two women waiting in hospital gowns identical to mine. My, we all looked so lovely. Since it is my habit to break the ice, I did.
“Ladies, it was just fine. So, much nicer than twenty-some years ago.” They seemed interested so I shared a few details. “It was even quite comfortable.”
One lady, identified herself, not by name, but by age. “I’m 82. Do they offer warm blankets? I am always cold.”
“Yes, but I didn’t take one. Can you believe that at my age I am still having hot flashes? I was afraid of suddenly turning into a blast furnace and not being able to whip the blanket off. I have asked God soooo many times, why He makes women like He does?” I shrugged my shoulders and added, “But so far, no answer.”
Almost in unison, the women chuckled, “Oh, God doesn’t talk to you?” For fear of making them uncomfortable, I didn’t tell them that sometimes He does. “Well, He hasn’t answered that question… yet.”
The younger one said with a grin, “Or she, hasn’t answered you, yet?”
That was the moment of my regret, the moment of my failed witness. For I didn’t respond to the suggestion that God might be female. As if I hadn’t heard her, I carried on with meaningless chatter.
When Ron, my husband, picked me up, I told him about my failure. He asked me how I might have replied. At that moment, everything I should have shared spilled forth. That from Genesis through Revelation God unquestionably presents Himself as male. That the Word He inspired, as originally written,* reads the way He intended, and that Scripture also states that God never changes.
The world is in a battle between good and evil resulting in a movement to revise the Bible to society’s liking. It is a useless effort to elevate Man, and diminish God. Because of this we must be very careful what translation we read. It is written that God wins the battle, but Scripture states, that in the meantime, the world will become very dark.
I regret not responding to the younger woman, for God’s people are called to respectfully speak Truth to those who have ears to hear. And me, well, I do have a mouth that speaks, and next time I intend to do just that.
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the
word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8 NIV
“I the LORD do not change.” Malachi 3:6a NIV
Blessings,
Susanne
* On Home Page, lower-right, click on Going Deeper, scroll down to THE RELIABILITY OF THE BIBLICAL DOCUMENTS.
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