Song of Solomon 7:10 I belong to my love, and his desire is for me.
Over the centuries, the image of woman has been celebrated by artists of all kind. She has been depicted in paintings, sculptures and photographs. She has been spoken of in song, poetry and prose. This creature – created in the image of God – has been the subject of many of the greatest works of art in history. Why is that? …Because she is beautiful.
Man and woman were both created in the image of God. A man is strong and stable. His body is large and hard with muscles and sinew. He is designed for labor. His stature denotes his strength with broad shoulders and large hands. He is a natural conqueror, protector and provider. A woman on the other hand is soft and supple. She is not chiseled like a man; rather she is round, curvy and voluptuous. She is a giver of life, of which she can then nourish and nurture. Her image is one of beauty – inviting and mysterious. It is no wonder she has been such a muse in art of all kinds. Unfortunately, over time, this image of woman has been distorted and misused. Rather than being intriguing and beguiling, she has become an object of lust and perversion. What the enemy has done to this precious creation of God – this image of God Himself – is disgusting.
Women today find ourselves fighting against this distorted image of woman every day. The world tells us that we are sexual beings in a perverted and impure way. Our figure no longer promotes life, but rather promotes lust. As a Christian woman, I believe we fight against this worldly image even more than most.
It has always been my goal to become more like the woman that God created me to be. I strive daily to learn, to change the things that need changing, and enhance the gifts that He has given me. I want to be a Godly woman/wife/mother. The trouble is I need guidance because I can’t do it on my own.
Enter Proverbs 31. If you have never read this chapter of Proverbs, I encourage you to do so. It gives a beautiful portrait of a Godly woman. She is hard working and industrious. She carries herself with beauty and grace. She takes care of her home and her family and she does it all for the Glory of God. The Proverbs 31 woman is a shining example for us. It is a tall order, but serves as a guideline for the modern Christian woman.
Nothing about this woman says impure. She is the epitome of a Godly woman and the opposite of what the world promotes. So why is it that when I studied her, I felt a part of me was being stifled? In studying this chapter, I still felt something was missing. This image of woman neglected a part of who I am as a woman… my sexuality. Then I flipped forward in my bible a few pages and found what was missing right there in the Song of Solomon.
Growing up in a Christian home, I was taught about modesty, purity and being chaste. I learned as I stumbled through puberty how to stifle the natural new feelings that were rising up in me. I knew that I was not to have sex until I was married, and I knew that to dress immodestly as the world does was not okay for a young woman of God. I strived to be a good girl and did not let my sexuality rule my life. I threw myself deeper into my relationship with God. When I eventually married, however, I never fully embraced the part of me that is described in Song of Solomon. Somehow, the more intimate I became with God, the less I was able to be intimate with my husband. Sex had somehow turned into something dirty and even worse, something ungodly. As a young woman I had lost sight of the fact that God designed me as a sexual being. The enemy had tricked me into believing that sex was something shameful, and that sexuality is not something that good Christians embrace.
But, as I allowed God lead me through the Song of Solomon, my distorted view of this part of my nature fell away. Sex is not dirty, it is not ungodly; rather it is sacred and beautiful and pure. Yes, I said pure. The marriage bed is a place of vulnerability and intimacy with your spouse. Being desirable and sexy and attractive to your spouse is to be celebrated, not something to be ashamed of. The female form, with its soft skin and many curves, has become something I am thankful for. I am a woman of God. In all aspects of what that means.
So, does that mean that I now dress provocatively as the world tells me I should? Do I want to be admired by all men as an object of desire? Not at all; the key to tapping into your sexuality as a Godly woman are these three words: the marriage bed. Not the boyfriend bed, the fiancé bed or the one-night-stand bed. True vulnerability and trust are found inside the vows of marriage. Let’s face it… sex is fun, and being desired is exhilarating. Even the bible says so. It’s time to take back the image of a woman from the world and return her to her rightful place in the image of God. Let us show the world that there is beauty in the Proverbs 31 and Song of Solomon woman – both are a part of who God designed us to be.
Be blessed, dear sisters! We are created in the image of God.
