Chapter Three

Woman A Vessel

1Thes. 4:4 That every one of you should know how to posses his vessel in sanctification and honor;
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge,
giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
2 Cor. 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Woman stands as a lovely, fragile flower
with the soft wind blowing through her hair;
the sun shining on her face
Her form and countenance of beauty and grace
The strength and the power that within her lies
is not seen at first glance, for she looks tender and slight
She is a vessel made for her masters purpose
All of her ability not seen on the surface
But her waters run deep, full and life giving
Be happy Oh man that she is living!

Gen. 2:18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.

Over the centuries, WOMEN have been viewed in various extremes, from goddess' to weaklings, hardly able to make decisions for themselves. The truth, however is more beautiful, powerful and fulfilling than either of these extremes. To truly be fulfilled is to be living out what we are created and designed to do.

While we have taken a look at the amazing creation of the woman and how she was made to be a literal part of her husband, completing the image and reflection of God, I feel it is important, now, to take a look at the make up of the woman and the way in which God has designed her for a particular purpose.

But a vessel? Why would she be called a vessel?

A vessel is, according to the old Webster's International Dictionary - A hollow or concave utensil for holding anything... but also – A person regarded as receiving or containing something; esp. (Script.), one into whom something is conceived as poured, or in whom something is stored for use; as vessels of wrath or mercy. An example being -

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way : for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. 

Here God referred to the apostle Paul as being a vessel. And what was carried in this vessel? God's name! So, clearly in this scripture this word is not being used in a derogatory sense. Nor is it, when it is used to describe the woman.

When we consider the way God has made the woman's body, we definitely see a vessel designed to carry within it the most priceless treasure on earth; life itself. For within the woman's womb new life is conceived, nurtured, and protected until the day it is brought forth into the world. Then within her body, that most amazing vessel, is produced and carried, the most perfect food any child could ever receive; something that no man has been able to duplicate nor improve upon; mother's milk. Her breast is in fact an organ designed to produce this life giving substance and it has been said that if the breasts are never used for the purpose for which they were designed, there is a greater chance for breast cancer. I cannot say this is a fact here, but it stands to reason that any organ needs to be used and not lie dormant, to be in the best of health.

So even in these two occurrences, we can see that woman is, indeed, a vessel meant for an irreplaceable purpose of value. No matter how man attempts to create life outside of this vessel, the womb, he cannot improve upon it nor duplicate what God in his infinite power and glory, has himself designed.

The word' vessel' here is the same word, in the Greek as the word used in the scripture at the beginning of this part of our study. According to the Strong's Concordance, this word means - “a vessel, implement, equipment or apparatus (lit. or fig.) [spec. a wife as contributing to the usefulness of the husband]): ...

Whether a particular individual ever intends to have children, the fact of her God given design cannot be overlooked. Unless she is operated on to change things inside of her, she will still have a menstrual cycle. She will still have to deal with periods every month and the hormone changes that go with it, as well as the moods and sensitivities that were wired into her makeup, for the purpose of being the wife and mother she was designed to be. The evidence of the vessel God designed her to be, will be there whether or not it suits her fancy.

Stop for a moment and take a look at yourself. Think of how you are, whether you like what you see or not; whether you consider your makeup to be weak, troubling or fantastic. Think, for example of all those female hormones and the effects they have on you. How about all those moods, and sensitivities that you may sometimes wish you could do away with. You may be surprised to learn that these are, in fact, powerful assets that enable you to perform a greatly needed task in the lives of those who matter the most to you and to effect the world for good. Even those things that are sometimes seen as a nuisance are part of that intricate design in which even these seeming weakness' can be strengths of the female creation who is as strong and capable as she is lovely in appearance.

While the womb and the breast are two evidences of the fact that woman is a vessel, there are others that are also beautiful and amazing, which we will look at.

But Is the woman a vessel to be a possession of a man?

In today's society, where individualism and independence are considered ultimate goals to obtain, such words are likely to rub across the grain and cause many a woman to shudder. Even Christian women who want to serve the Lord may have difficulty and find themselves automatically recoiling at such words and phrases. However, in truth, all that pertains to the will of God for the woman is good, valuable and of beauty. The problem often lies in a lack of understanding and misconceptions passed on over many generations.

So then why is woman referred to as a vessel for the man to possess? Is God sexist?

The word 'possess' here actually means – (Strong's) – to get, that is, acquire (by any means; own): - obtain, possess, provide, purchase.

Remember that in marriage a man and wife are to become one flesh. They then belong to each other. Do you recall the phrase used in many marriage ceremonies “To have and to hold from this day forward?"

The wife then will be the vessel that will receive and hold all that is her man. She is to belong to no other; be no other man's vessel. No man is to be received by and held by her, but the man to whom she has made her vow.
It is said in Eph. 5:28-

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

It should not be surprising then, to see the wife referred to as belonging to her husband or vise-versa.
We are told in 1 Cor. 7:2 -

...let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

Here ownership is seen both ways. The two become one.

Notice that the man is being told, not simply to take a woman for a wife as a possession to treat in any disrespected manner he may choose, but rather to know how to possess, that is take as his own body, his wife and do so in both sanctification and honor. As a matter of fact, if he does not honor his wife, his own prayers may be hindered. (1 Pet. 3:7)

This word honor is the word time, tee-may', in the Greek, meaning – a value, that is, money paid, or (concr. and collect.) valuables; by analogy esteem (especially of the highest degree), or the dignity itself:- honor, precious, price, some

The word 'sanctification' is, haguasmos, purification, that is, (the state) purity; concr. (by Heb.) a purifier:- holiness, sanctification.

So he is to take his wife as belonging to him and none other and do so in purity, holiness and as that which is of the highest value; something precious. No indeed God cannot be accused of being sexist for instructing the man that when he takes a wife as his own, she is becoming a part of him and to see her as precious and of the highest value.

What I am presenting here, for your knowledge and consideration, is not necessarily what is; that is, what is most often seen and known, but rather, what God meant to be and what can be, by the power and grace of God. For many a woman has lived far beneath her privilege and potential.

Speaking of God's church, his body, this is said in 1Cor. 12:12 & 21

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

Christ considers all those who have been born again to be a part of his own body. It is said here that Christ, himself, is made up of one body that has many members. It would be foolish for any one particular part (or member) of that body to think it did not need the other parts. Your mouth may be able to eat on it's own but it certainly appreciates having the hand to get the food and put it into the mouth, and without the throat, that food could not be swallowed!

So then as the marriage is a reflection of both God himself and Christ and his body, it is only reasonable to understand that each member of that image, namely the man and the woman, the husband and wife, have need of each other. Further that it would be as foolish to suggest that either are exactly alike and functions in the exact same manner as it is to suggest that one does not need the other.

Let me pause for a moment here, to say that I understand that there are individuals who are single and love and serve the Lord. But because of the design of God, these too have a need to understand this design and will need the supernatural intervention of the Lord to live at peace in this state. I hope you will understand more clearly by the end of this section of our study.

Each part of your own body has it's individual job to perform and one cannot nor should be like the other or be required to perform like the other. Yet each functions according to the direction of one brain. In the case of the marriage each individual is a part of the other, while, at the same time having an individual job to do, different from the other, yet helping, complimenting and completing the other. And each should receive it's direction from one source, the Holy Spirit, God himself. Each are a part of a singular unit.

Woman is a Vessel.

Woman takes the man she loves into her heart and thoughts before she makes a lifetime commitment to him.

As in conception, the woman desires to take all of the man, all she can get, then to absorb it – namely – his heart, his thoughts, his feelings, his dreams, his goals and his pursuits. (which tell her who and what he is)

The man, not being used to sharing himself so freely, and perhaps naturally guarding himself, as the conqueror, protector and achiever that he is, may find it somewhat uncomfortable to be so open as she desires him to be. But God has designed the marriage to be a safe place for both the man and his wife.

So we see woman being a sensitive creature. She is fine tuned in order to connect and unite. She is intuitive. Her sensitivity and intuitiveness are like feelers that reach out to pick up the signal of those she is to connect to and be a part of. To be the help meet to her man that she was created to be, she will need these instincts. For she is to be a help, physically, spiritually and emotionally. Therefore she needs to be wired in such a way as to be able to feel, have empathy, have enough sensitivity to truly care and help. Her wiring is of utmost importance and value, but it is also something that requires a safe and protective place in which to function.

She gives herself to her mate and receives him into herself. This is a big step and a step of vulnerability. To open ones self to such a degree, is to take down the walls of protection and to be seen and known for who you are. Rejection at this point is very painful. How many young women have given themselves in sexual intercourse before marriage only to be devastated when the young man moves on to another and does not value her to the point of total commitment? She opened herself, gave herself and RECEIVED him into herself, even took his seed, and was devalued.

Inside the woman's body then, is that vessel called the womb. It is a garden where a seed can be planted and grow. Here in this vessel, is the necessary heat, water and placenta that will be connected to the womb and through which will flow the needed nutrition, directly from mother to child, so that it may grow and develop.

The woman receives a tiny seed, absorbs it, makes it a part of her, plants it in her garden and goes to work to produce new life and a son or daughter of the man she loves. This new life, will need nurturing, from someone who will love it and be sensitive to it's needs, physically, emotionally and spiritually. It will need someone who is wired as is the woman, who feels when it cries, has strong affection to minister to it's need for love and care; sensitive to all that concerns it. Every hormone, every internal function that serve to make her capable of this intense task, is an important blessing from God. But again, before any of this happens, it is imperative that the woman have a place of safety in which to do her extremely important work.

Where is this place of safety? It is the place she is supposed to have before receiving the man and his seed. It is a place, first and foremost, IN THE HEART OF HER HUSBAND. She needs to know that she is his NUMBER ONE, love and pursuit. She needs to know that she is what he desires, values, honors and loves above all else. She needs to be his greatest treasure.

Woman needs to be assured that her husband believes in her; that she is useful and capable of all he will entrust to her.

Those in almost all honored positions; those who are popular and those who are touching and/or effecting others lives, such as political leaders, pastors, teachers, singers, and even actors and actress' feel successful when their work is appreciated, when they are accepted, admired, acknowledged and adored. The woman needs these things from her husband and will feel a failure in her person if he seeks other women.

IF - she has this place. IF - she is assured he is going to value her enough to make her his own; a part of himself, nurture, protect and provide for her - In short, IF - she is completely safe in his love and secure in her place of value in his life, SHE CAN THEN put her focus on the task she is to perform for him and her God.

But it is important that she know that what she has to offer; that for which she was created is of importance and is valued before she begins performing it. Otherwise she may short circuit.
Once the man is her safe place, SHE CAN, in turn, BE HIS SAFE PLACE.

As the woman is to be valued as a precious thing to her husband, so the man has a need to be respected and valued by his wife. He has a tremendous job to do for her, as her provider and protector, under, by and through God. He too needs to know that what he has to offer, truly matters to the one closest to him, that vessel in which he trusts.

Every man should seek God, before choosing a wife and be assured that he is taking to wife, a woman who wants him for who he is and who he can entrust with all that makes him who he is. When he finds this, he finds a safe place to be himself completely open and exposed, knowing she was created to receive him and take who he is and what he has to give, treasure it and from this produce fruit, a blessed increase.

When he finds her, scripture tells us -

Prov. 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.

Prov. 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice in the wife of thy youth.

Here his life will not be wasted. For he has been wired to provide and to protect; to be the conqueror for and hero to that someone who will in turn appreciate and respect what he does with his life for her. He needs an object for which to work, strive and accomplish. He needs the RECEIVER, the VESSEL, to have him and hold him from the day of their commitment to each other and forever.

In her, his life nor his seed will be wasted on unclean and unprofitable soil. Once that special woman knows she is safe in his love, she will in turn be his safe place. She is to be the place where he can express complete vulnerability, yet be revered as strong, respected and trusted.

On the wedding night, when both make themselves vulnerable and open to the other, acceptance or rejection is crucial. If each find joy and fulfillment in the other, this should be, as it were, a door opening to a future of continual acceptance and growth together.

When a man has went out into the world, to work and to strive in order to achieve and provide for his family, and had to be in, as it were, war zones, some of which he came out on top, some battles leaving him feeling he has fallen short of what he needed to be, he finds restorative power in the arms of an accepting wife, who desires to have and to hold him at the end of his day.

Sexuality can either be used against a man or be his verification. While his wife's desire may be more to receive his inner self and to know all that is going on inside of him, she may well find that door opens when she has been willing to accept him physically. Men being visual creatures, are able to see and feel their wife's love and acceptance physically, finding acceptance, fulfillment and rest in her arms. Woman wanting and needing her husband's heart, may require communication before sexual experience. In either case, quiet, undisturbed time together with full focus on each other is necessary for restoration of worth and closeness to that other person who makes you whole. Thus God designed each part of this unit to draw out what is needed for ultimate unity, joy and fulfillment.

WOMAN IS A VESSEL.

Now take a closer work at the wiring of the woman. The going on inside of the body of a woman is amazing. Take for an example, a report from the BBC news. It tells us that -
(quote) - A study that was published in the journal PloS Computational Biology, found that in response to a baby suckling, specialized neurons in the mother's brain start to release the hormone (oxytocin) from the nerve endings. But surprisingly oxytocin is also released from the part of a cell called dendrite which is usually the part of a neuron which receives, rather than transmits information. Using a mathematical model, the researchers worked out that this release from dendrites allows a massive increase in communication between the neurons, coordinating a “swarm” of oxytocin factories producing intense bursts of the hormone. ...

A spokesperson for the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) said breastfeeding for up to two years can have “significant health benefits” for mother and baby.

The nervous system of a woman, (her emotional state) effects the functioning of her body. For example she has a pituitary gland, which is an endoctrine gland, located at the base of her brain. This gland weighs only about 0.02 oz. Yet it is sometimes called the master gland of the body because it controls the secretion of hormones. Among these are prolactin and oxytocin which control the reflex that allows milk to be released into the ducts of the breasts. However, pain, anxiety, and stress can interfere with this reflex (let down). While there may be nothing wrong with a woman's body, it being capable of producing all the milk her baby would need, she may be unable to get that milk to flow from her breasts if she is under stress and not at peace.

The 'let down' reflex is maternal response to stimuli, such as suckling. This stimuli is conducted by nerves to the brain, then to the pituitary gland. The hormone oxytocin acts to force milk from the aveoli, where it is produced.

Sounds pretty technical huh? Makes me think of a computer. On the outside is a protective covering that protects very sensitive things that are the brains, so to speak, that make everything work. The computer is still beyond my comprehension. It does amazing things and connects people all over the world. Yet for all of it's power and ability, it is very fragile and could easily be destroyed if not protected adequately.

The things that make up the complex vessel, that is woman, are intricate and powerful. The connection between her thought patterns, emotions, nervous system and her proper functioning is a delicate balance. Her sensitivity is necessary for her function in interpersonal relationships, such as motherhood and a helpmate to her husband. Yet without the proper protective covering this delicate balance can be upset, and she can short circuit, so to speak. The alternative to this is for her to begin to harden herself and to close off some of the functioning God intended for her, in order not to suffer from overload and lack of needed restoration that was meant to come through her husband.

She may be considered weaker than the man, in two ways. First her muscular structure and then in her need for a protective covering in which to function in the sensitive, yet powerful way she is created to function.

Imagine for a moment, that you worked in a secret military compound, where powerful weapons were being built. Your job may require great skill and ability, while being of utmost importance to your country, yet working such a job makes you vulnerable to the possibility of attack. On the perimeter of the compound are various camouflaged bunkers, equipped with weapons ready for immediate use, should an enemy discover the compound and attack. Would you feel insulted by the fact that there were soldiers, bunkers and weapons in place to protect you while you worked? Would that in any way, insinuate that you were of less value, skill or importance than the soldiers protecting you?

Similarly the role of the woman is not of less value or skill than that of her husband. But because of the sensitive nature of her wiring, she is more vulnerable to attack and interference. She needs the protective covering God designed for her, and that is her husband.
Her husband has been instructed by God to (1 Peter 3:7) dwell with her according to knowledge, to give her honor (esteem, especially of the highest degree), as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life.

(I think this may refer to the weakness he has knowledge of, such as her physical ability and stamina, as well as the sensitiveness of her internal workings, which also make her vulnerable. Why would a man honor a woman because she is weak as we, so often think of weakness?)

While there is tremendous strength in the woman's womb in the ability to carry the full weight of a child and also the great power necessary to push the child out of her body and into the world, yet in childbearing she can do nothing outside of the birthing process which consumes her, putting her in a very vulnerable state. She is unable to protect herself, let alone those things she normally watches over. Her husband, then should know and understand that she has great value and ability, much needed for the welfare of his own life and household, but that she needs his protection and care.

If he does not do these things, the Scriptures say that his prayers may be hindered.

Woman is a visionary

She not only sees what is, but what can be. She is a cultivator.

Woman receives a house and makes it a home.
She takes a piece of cloth and makes a garment.
She takes her husband's dreams and encourages them to become achievements.
She takes a man and he becomes a husband.
She takes a seed and produces an individual.
She takes a child and nurtures and cares for it until it becomes an accomplished adult.
She takes raw foods and produces a meal. etc. etc.

Woman is a help mate – an aide to her husband

How does the woman aide her husband?

She completes him.
She brings him companionship.
She shares his life, body, soul and spirit.
She gives him love.
She gives him support and hope.
She brings him pleasure and joy.
She receives him.
She respects him, desires him, and appreciates him.
She takes what he gives her and improves it and multiplies it.
She makes his house a home.
She comforts him.
She hears him and listens to him.
She bears his children.
She trains and nurtures his children.
She prays for him.
She believes in him.
She partners with him.
She cares for his treasures.

And so much more!!