Proverbs 16:4

The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

It was a jam-packed day for the Handmaidens last Wednesday as before the fellowship Pastor Siju led the women to TerraKulture Art Galley, and they browsed works of art by the talented children in the various primary schools in Region 20.

Pastor Siju took time to look at each individual piece of art and listen to the children’s expression of what they sought to express through the medium they had used.

She encouraged the children to take art seriously, as there was no telling how far it could take them.

The Handmaidens then headed back to The Sanctuary where Pastor Siju continued with the incredibly thought-provoking series, ‘Gifted for Intimacy 5’.

She spoke about the fact that in order to embrace in its entirety all that God intended for us to be as women, it was critical that we fully grasp the concept that as women we are gifted for intimacy.

God has poured so much into us, we are somehow able to exhibit God’s love so much more than a man can. This she said is perhaps why God allowed us to be the ones to give birth, to nurture and bring up children, to keep the home, to build and to ensure that things remain in order. 

She acknowledged the fact that the day was International Women’s Day. A day when women all over the world are rising up to a great cause to be Bold For Change. We must however, as Christian women she said, not move foolishly, conceitedly, or in vanity. We must be women of integrity, we do not need to get everything at any cost, we must be mindful of others that have been committed into our hands.

She encouraged every Handmaiden to ask themselves the question posed in James 4:1 “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

She posited that man quarrels between women come about from, “…lusts that war in your members”, you feel you have been misunderstood, that your ego has been stepped on, or that you have not been treated as if you are important.

Man of us are selfish Pastor Siju pointed out, its always, my time, my feelings, my image, what I feel is right. This is wrong she said., life does not revolve around yo alone, there are many other people involved.

Friendship is a two way traffic, a continuous situation of give and take. 

What have you learnt from your friend Pastor Siju asked? Scripture tells us in Proverbs 27:17 that, “Iron sharpeners iron". Has this been the case in your friendship?

Where misunderstandings or conflicts arise, it is important Pastor Siju said that we confront it, and not cover it. We must take time to thrash out issues and not withdraw into self, be it with a friend or with a spouse.

Withdrawal is never a good way of solving any problem. It only creates more distance. Once you lay a foundation of not talking issues over, it becomes more difficult to take about them as time goes on.

We live in an age of great deception and mistrust. It would seem that deceit is glorified. There is no longer truth among us. How do we exhibit our gifting for intimacy if we cannot speak the truth to one another? It is very difficult in this day and age to know who is a true friend. Some of us are motivated by desire to be better than the next person.

Examples of true friendship abound in the word of God. David and Jonathan’s friendship was deep and intense. Jonathan was prepared to take on death for his friend, to relinquish the throne for his friend, to protect and shield David from the wrath of his father, Saul. He recognized the anointing on David’s life. Are you a true friend? Are you true to those you call friends? Pastor Siju asked the Handmaidens.

God made provision for a true friend to Saul, later to become Paul in the person of Ananias.

In Acts 9, Paul was on his way to Damascus to seek, kill and destroy the Christians. It was his duty and he carried it out with zeal and passion. Suddenly a bright light shone, he heard a voice and was converted. He also though, became blind. Paul fully understood the fact that what had happened to him was powerful, and he was totally transformed, his identity changed, but he was not accepted by the body of believers of his time. 

To liken our journey in life to Pauls, some of us have come into Christianity with a lot of sin baggage, we come into the truth of the knowledge of the gospel, but find ourselves ‘blind’ like Paul, lonely, secluded, unaccepted but transformed. Battling forces, the darkest and loneliness akin to the three days Jesus spent in the grave.

Ananias however was gifted for intimacy and led by the Spirit of God gave Saul the support he needed to become Paul. He referred to Paul as “Brother Saul” in Acts 9:17, not “Paul” the very first time he met him, signifying that he embraced Paul completely. He embraced his past, his present and his glorified future. Knowing and recognizing by the leading of the Holy Spirit that God had the power to change a person completely, and had done this miracle in the life of Paul. We need to be the kind of friend that is able to recognize the power of God in a changed life, irrespective of where we think or know that that person is coming from. Are you that kind of friend, that meets your friends need in this respect?

Can your gift for intimacy stretch?

The body of Christ must embrace the new converts. Paul needed a friend and God prepared a friend for him. He didn’t have to find people to love him.

- Pastor Siju Iluyomade