This past week I had an interesting conversation with a young Christian mother that I've known for a while. She was raised in a Christian home and went to church most of her live until recently. Her father is a godly man and a prophet. Which made her childhood an interesting and often a frustrating experience for her to say the least. In fact at one time she didn't want to have anything to do with her dad, but that's changing from what I've seen. She also has several children and a wonderful husband who's still a kid at heart. But he really loves his family, and God's working on his heart too.
This couple still has lots of dreams and goals. But, like most young marriages, they have had their share of problems also. Along with defining and learning their roles in marriage, and as well as being sons and daughters of God.
This women is a beautiful person and has a great personality. She is friendly, out going and everyone seems to love her. However, after she had her last child she has struggled with a weight problem, and the emotional difficulties in her marriage didn't help things either. She enjoys cooking and baking, but food eventually became her "comfort friend" as she told me. She has also tried to lose wait in the past, but wasn't very successfully.
However, this last time when I saw her I noticed she had lost a lot of weight, and I commented on it. She proudly informed me that she had lost 22 pounds and hoped to lose about 25 to 30 more pounds. She told me, she realized her mistake and was determined to change some of what she ate, how much and how often. In fact she said, "One of my goals in life is to go to Hawaii with my family, and be the hottest women on the beach wearing my bikini." I was a little surprised by her comment. I just smiled and said nothing.
However, later on I commented that I was proud of her and her efforts to change the way she had been eating. However, I don't believe her motive were necessarily correct, but I know her husband will be pleased and she will be too.
People should watch how they eat, because our body is the temple of the Lord. We shouldn't allow our fleshly desires and habits to rule over our spirit or our body. There are curtain types of processed foods that should be avoid, because they are harmful to the human body and can make people very sick over time, and even shorten their lives. There is also two other reason why two-thirds of Americans are overweight. They are spiritual bondage and a lack of discipline.
Another area that is important is important is how people perceive themselves. We should desire more to know how God see us. Vanity and pride have always been a stumbling block, even in the church. Sure we would all like to stay young, fit and attractive. But it shouldn't be a goal—like many celebrities in Hollywood. We should be content and accept how God made and how He really see us. Knowing the Heavenly Father, finding our true identity, and living the way God would have us—should be our only desire. We need to know who we are in Christ, and be spirit led in everything we do.
This young mother was also told by someone that she was to be a prophet. However, she said she didn't want to be one like her father, and she may not be if she really is one. There are many different types of prophets today, just as there was in Biblical times. However, they all have this in common, they were called and sent by the Lord that is the true test. Plus the calling is "a gift" from Almighty God, not one people get to choose. I also don't know anyone who has refused it either. But the calling does come with a price and a few have stumbled, because none of us on earth are prefect. Everyone makes mistakes, including me.
A prophets or prophetess will experience many hardship in their life, often more, for the sake of others and for future generations. Yet, they will go where God sends them and speak what He tells them. They don't have much of choice, unless they want to have a more difficult life like Jonah. Many prophets have come from a background that appears to be rebellious. God's usually behind their actions and using it to mold their character and nature into the man or women He wants them to be. Prophets walk to the beat of a different drum.
I know at times I may seem to be little old fashion, but I prefer to see myself as a trailblazer, going where no man or women has gone before, believing others will follow. Therefore, I don't think God would want a prophetess wearing a bikini on the beach to impress lost souls or for any other reason. However, I could be wrong, God did have some prophets walk naked to reveal the future for those who continued to live a sinful life.
God desires to draw people's attention to us by being clothed in His righteousness, power and walking in His glory, how He choses to do that is up to Him. But most of all God wants people's attention drawn to us by our love, not our flesh.
10 years ago
