From the very beginning of Scripture, God makes something clear: He sees the women He has made. And for every woman who has ever wondered—Does God see me?—the answer written across the pages of His Word is a resounding "Yes!"
A Personal Journey into Scripture
This truth came into focus for me during a season marked by tension and questions. I had grown up watching my mother rise early each morning, her Bible open before her—the quiet rustle of pages and bowed head a steady, wordless testimony. It shaped me. Her daily meeting with God, unhurried and unwavering, formed my earliest picture of a woman who walks closely with her Creator. And to this day, she still rises to seek Him.
But as I grew older, I entered a Christian community with a very different atmosphere. In this setting, women were gently—yet firmly—discouraged from sharing how God was working in their lives, for fear that their words might be seen as “teaching men.” It was the first time I began to wrestle deeply with what Scripture truly said about women. Did God meet with them personally? Did He welcome their voices, their questions, their worship—not just as wives and mothers, but as individuals made in His image?
So I turned back to the beginning. I opened my Bible to Genesis—and what I found wasn’t rigid or cold. It was radiant. It was personal. From the first pages, I saw a God who forms woman with care, who walks toward her in the wilderness, who speaks to her by name. He doesn’t define her by her usefulness to others. He dignifies her by His presence. He invites her—not as an accessory to someone else’s faith, but as His own beloved daughter—to know Him, to walk with Him, and to delight in His Word.
Created in His Image
Genesis 1:27 proclaims: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”
From the very beginning, woman was never an afterthought in God’s design. Formed in the image of God—just as man was—she carries the imprint of divine purpose and dignity. Though created from man’s side and named by him (Genesis 2:23; 3:20), she was not made to trail behind, but to stand beside. Her worth is derived from her Maker.
It was God—not Adam—who first said that it was “not good” for the man to be alone. And His answer was not to form a subordinate, but a helper meet for him—a counterpart, uniquely suited to bring wholeness to the human story (Genesis 2:18). Eve was crafted with care, not merely for companionship, but for co-laboring in the stewardship of creation. She was a vital part of the mandate to subdue the earth and fill it, fully sharing in humanity’s spiritual and moral capacity (Genesis 1:28).
Though Adam’s naming of her affirms a structure of headship, it does not diminish her strength or worth. Eve’s identity is not rooted only in her relationship to man, but in the hands of the God who formed her with intention and breathed life into her. From the beginning, woman is revealed as an essential part of God’s very good creation—distinct, indispensable, and deeply loved. She was made to reflect His image in uniquely feminine ways, bearing both dignity and divine purpose.
God Sees and Speaks to Women
This thread of dignity and divine attention continues beyond Eden. In Genesis 16, we meet Hagar—an Egyptian servant woman caught in the painful fallout of human brokenness. Entrapped in a web of pride, conflict, and rejection, Hagar conceives Abraham’s child and, in her woundedness, regards her mistress Sarah with contempt (Genesis 16:4). The household tension becomes unbearable, and Hagar flees into the wilderness—alone, vulnerable, and pregnant.
Yet it is there, in the silence of her suffering, that God finds her. Not in a moment of triumph or righteousness, but in her distress, the Angel of the Lord appears and speaks to her—not with rebuke, but with tenderness. He sees her, hears her affliction, and gives her a promise for the child she carries. In awe and wonder, Hagar responds by giving God a name—El Roi, “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13). She becomes the first person in Scripture recorded as naming God.
In a culture that often passed over women—especially servant women—God did not pass her by. Though her heart was not without fault and her life was entangled in sorrow, He drew near. He met her in the wilderness—not because she was worthy, but because He is gracious. The God who formed Eve in the garden is the same God who sees Hagar in the desert. He is the God who sees you.
Later, in Genesis 25, we glimpse a beautiful picture of spiritual partnership within marriage. When Rebekah was barren, Isaac entreated the Lord on her behalf—and God heard his prayer, opening her womb (Genesis 25:21). But when Rebekah began to feel a troubling struggle within her, she did not remain silent. She turned to the Lord herself. And God answered—not through her husband, not through a prophet, but directly, with words meant just for her.
In this quiet yet profound moment, we see something deeply affirming: godly men are called to intercede for their families—but women are not relegated to the background of spiritual life. Rebekah was not sidelined. She sought the Lord, and He listened. Her voice mattered. Her question was heard.
Time and again, Scripture reveals a God who draws near to women—not only as companions to men, but as individuals formed in His image and invited into relationship. He sees them. He speaks to them. He entrusts them with His purposes. From the garden to the wilderness, from the tents of the patriarchs to the pages of our lives, His heart has not changed.
The Lie: Women as Spiritual Bystanders
This truth stands in sharp contrast to the subtle—and sometimes not-so-subtle—lie that Satan has sown in both the secular world and even within some churches: that women are spiritually secondary. Too many have been led to believe that their thoughts about Scripture hold little weight unless filtered through a husband or male leader. Others have been quietly conditioned to think their only acceptable roles lie behind the scenes—folding bulletins, caring for children, or preparing meals in silence.
But the Word of God tells a far more beautiful story. Teaching children is not a lesser calling—it is a sacred commission, shaping hearts to know and revere the Lord. Service, too, is not second-tier; it is kingdom work. Scripture honors women like Phoebe, “a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea” (Romans 16:1), and reminds us that every act of service is “well pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:16). These are not small things. They are offerings on the altar of love.
Yet here is a truth often overlooked—even by sincere Christians: women are not only servants. They are sisters, image-bearers, and co-heirs of grace. They are not sidelined spectators in the kingdom of God but full participants—called to know Him deeply, to speak truth with wisdom, and to reflect His glory in both word and deed. Scripture calls women to be teachers of good things (Titus 2:3), and that calling requires thoughtful engagement with the Word, Spirit-led insight, and boldness to share what God is doing in their hearts.
A woman who speaks from Scripture among fellow believers should not shrink back in fear, as if she’s overstepping by offering spiritual insight. She should be equipped, encouraged, and welcomed—because God welcomes her. He delights in her voice, her mind, her devotion.
I think of my own mother—how her words, shaped by daily time in Scripture, flow freely in conversation. She speaks often of what God is teaching her, not to impress, but because the Word dwells richly in her. Her life preaches—not from a pulpit, but with quiet faithfulness, seasoned speech, and a love for Christ that overflows. And in that, she honors Him.
The Balance of Order and Access
In today’s culture, womanhood is often either distorted or diminished. Some voices reject biblical roles altogether, insisting that equality demands sameness—erasing the beauty of God-given distinction. In reaction, some within conservative circles swing too far the other way—tightening boundaries beyond what Scripture teaches, filtering all spiritual expression through male oversight, and quietly discouraging women from seeking the Word deeply for themselves.
But Genesis offers a more beautiful way. Yes, God established order: Adam was formed first, and he named the woman, reflecting a structure of headship (1 Timothy 2:13; Genesis 2:23). Yet this headship is not about dominance or value—it is about design. It is a good and God-given structure meant to reflect His character. And even within that structure, Scripture never hints that women are spiritually lesser or somehow further from God’s presence. Instead, it affirms a harmony of distinction and dignity. From the very beginning, woman was crafted as a vital counterpart—fully bearing the image of God, fully participating in His mission.
And in Genesis 17, we see something deeper still: God Himself is the highest authority—the one who holds the naming rights, the one who speaks identity and purpose over every life. While Adam named Eve, it is God who renames Sarai to Sarah. Her new name—princess—is not a poetic flourish. It is a covenant seal, a declaration that she too would be a mother of nations. Her story is not an afterthought to Abraham’s—it is part of the promise. This renaming reminds us that human structures, though important, always bend to the higher headship of God. He calls both men and women by name. He shapes destinies. He speaks identity with wisdom, compassion, and unshakable love—and never in a way that lessens the worth of the woman formed in His image.
Set Your Face as a Flint
When a woman begins to see herself as God sees her, it answers one of the deepest questions of the soul: Do I belong? She no longer wonders if she is merely a bystander in the life of faith. She knows—deep down—that she is welcome at the table, not as an afterthought, but as one whose place was set by God Himself.
And yet, when women are subtly or overtly told that their personal walk with God matters less—or that truth must always come to them secondhand—they must learn to recognize those voices for what they are: lies. God’s Word is for them. His voice is near. As my mother recently shared with quiet conviction, reflecting on her own walk with Christ, there are seasons when you must “set your face as a flint” to meet with Him—daily, deliberately, and with your whole heart. This pursuit of God is not a luxury or a personality trait—it is a lifeline. And in the pages of Scripture, Christian women find again and again that they are not only seen and known, but also invited—welcomed—to draw near.
Conclusion: Dignity Rooted in Divine Design
The opening chapters of Genesis are not a shadow to shrink from or a burden to explain away—they are a window into the heart of God. In them, we see a Creator who forms woman with care, who listens when she cries, who meets her in wilderness places, and who calls her by name.
This is where any true understanding of womanhood must begin—not with roles or restrictions, but with relationship. Woman is not merely a supporter—she is an image-bearer. Not merely an assistant—she is an heir of grace. Her invitation is not secondhand. It is personal. God welcomes her to know Him, to worship Him, and to walk with Him.
He sees her. He speaks to her. He delights to call her His own.
This is the dignity of womanhood. And it was there from the very beginning.
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