That Was Then,
This Is Now...

Why is She Wearing That Thing on Her Head?

Have you ever seen a Christian woman with a head covering and wondered why she wears that ‘thing’ on her head? In the past year the Lord has shown me the importance of wearing a head covering during the assembled gathering of believers for prayer and Bible teaching. And, more recently the Lord has convicted me that it’s something that I should do continually, not just in the assembly.

It’s something I never imagined would be for me. I remember many times in my life seeing Mennonite women or Amish women and wondering why they wear those things on their heads. A few years ago we visited a Baptist church, and I noticed a few ladies wearing head coverings, but not all. I wondered why they wore them. Shortly thereafter, as I attended local home school book fairs I would see women wearing head coverings and wonder why.

I never heard anything about the head covering taught in church. I didn’t know anyone personally who actually wore a head covering. I knew the Bible mentioned that women should be covered, but I thought it was for then and not for now. I had heard that it was a cultural thing that was important in the past but not applicable for today.

Why I Choose to be a Woman of Cover?

I Corinthians 11:1-16

Several years ago God began speaking to me about the role of women in the home, in church, and in our public testimony. This included learning about the importance of dressing modestly, when women should teach and speak in the church, allowing my husband to be the spiritual leader in the home, etc.

I began to wonder if we were supposed to obey the passages about the woman being covered in I Corinthians 11. I asked my husband to look at this very confusing passage which elicits much controversy. After some study without fully understanding the part about the angels he said, “I don’t think it means you should wear a head covering. So, no, you don’t need to wear one.” I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or saddened by his conclusion. I still didn’t feel settled in my heart. But, thank God he didn’t tell me I had to wear a head covering because if he had, then I would have been committed to obeying his leading.

I continued to pray for the Lord to show me the truth. At the time I had already made quite a few changes with regard to my role as a woman. It seemed that it would be too much to suddenly be the only woman wearing a head covering to church. Then a few months later we met a fellowship of believers who practice Biblical head coverings for women in the assembly meeting. Brian and I visited their fellowship for the first time on Easter 2008. This was a confirmation to me that the Lord was leading me in this direction.

I observed for several weeks and then asked why they have this conviction. A sister shared with me her husband’s writing about why they practice Biblical head covering. And, after my husband read it and we discussed it, we realized that this is a timeless principle that is applicable to believers today, and that it was necessary to obey this injunction in I Corinthians 11. So, this summer (2008) I began practicing head covering in the meeting and when the ladies would get together to pray. This came as an easy transition for me because I was surrounded by Christian sisters who share the same conviction and who also cover in the assembly meeting.

As I began to pray about when I should be covered I thought about the verse from Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” So I also started to think that anytime two or more were gathered in prayer or Bible study that I should be covered since we are in the presence of the Lord. So, I also covered at home with my family during times of prayer and during my own personal devotion. I covered off and on while teaching my children at home and praying.

Called to Cover in Public

I Corinthians 11:5

“But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishounoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.”

Now I had the conviction to wear a head covering during church although I still wondered why not cover at other times? Since I accepted that I should wear a head covering when I prayed during my personal devotion time, during the assembly, and while praying or studying with my husband, it seemed to me that there were other times that I should consider a covering. What about praying without ceasing? What if I attended a Bible study with others who didn’t cover, would I or should I cover there too? I believe that a woman is not to speak or teach in the mixed assembly so when is it that a woman is to prophesy? Wouldn’t it be outside of the assembly? What about when the women teach the children Bible? Isn’t this prophesying? Or, when we share a word of encouragement or the gospel isn’t this prophesying? Is it appropriate or necessary to wear a covering as you do the dishes or the laundry while praying? It’s still praying. But, no one wears a cover? Why? Why wouldn’t we wear it all the time? Should we wear one all the time? But, that would be too odd, too out of the norm. Would we be associated with strange Christian brethren or would we seem too peculiar to reach the lost? Are we afraid we might scare someone off or make others uncomfortable? Or, what if we offend our family and they think we think we are holier than thou? This set me on a search to wrestle through these questions.

I searched the Scriptures and didn’t see any distinction in the passage that sets it apart as a practice only for the assembly gathering. It is surrounded by passages about the Lord’s supper but I would not assume or conclude that it means that the whole discussion is to pertain only to the assembly.

A few months ago I was discussing my questions about why we only cover in the assembly with a fellow sister. She admitted that she too has wrestled with the same questions. And, she said that she believed the Lord would show us the truth if we desired to know. My friend also added that if we really want to know then we have to be willing to obey the truth. I am not sure I was ready to know the truth so I avoided thinking too deeply on the topic for awhile. Although I did continue to pray for the Lord to show me the truth and to give me the strength to obey whatever He did show me to be true.

Wrestling with the Lord

Four months later, at the start of the 2009 New Year, my strong wrestling with the Lord on the matter began. It all started when I had an opportunity to read an article on the head covering written by a home school author and mom, Renee Ellison, entitled, “The Biblical Headcovering.” I had read some of Renee’s writings regarding home schooling after visiting our local home school book fair several years ago. I noticed that she wore a head covering and wondered at the time what denomination of Christianity she claimed. I had been curious about why she wore a head covering, but I had never taken the time to order her article to find out. (I actually think I was avoiding the article because I wasn’t sure I really wanted to know.) But, then I received an email newsletter from the Ellison’s and noticed that her article was now a free download at http://www.homeschoolhowtos.com . This time with some reservation I felt compelled to finally take the plunge and read what she had to say about it.

After getting through the first of twenty pages of her article which started out digging into the Greek definitions behind each of the words in the I Corinthians 11 passage, I realized that I needed to stop reading. Before I read anyone else’s opinion, I needed to devote some serious time to this matter in prayer and personal Bible study. The next day my husband took the children with him, which allowed me time to study and pray.

Thus began the time of wrestling, conviction, and an overwhelming sense of heart-clenching fear. I remember telling God, “You don’t really want me to do this, do you? I mean what if I look weird, or crazy? Could it possibly be too offensive or turn people away. Will I be too different?” Every time I asked the question, the Lord kept bringing to mind that we are to be set apart, pilgrims and strangers in the world, a peculiar people.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light…”

When I asked God in prayer about when I should wear it I got several answers. First, that we should always be ready to share the hope that is in us. Since I would consider this to be prophesying, I believe we should be covered when we have the opportunity to share the hope in us.

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear…” Note that it says, “Always” be ready.

 Second, we are told to pray without ceasing. As I have already mentioned there are many passages that discuss praying continually. Should we take the head cover on and off every time we need to pray or share the hope in us? Wouldn’t it be better to just leave it on and always be ready?

Third, the Lord brought me to Genesis 24:64-65 “And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.” I see that Rebekah covered herself with a veil. It seems that when she saw her Lord coming, or when she came into the presence of the Lord, she knew it was appropriate to cover her head with a veil.

So, if we are to abide in Him and Him in us then are we not continually in the presence of the Lord? And, aren’t we to look to His return? Shouldn’t we be watching and praying? So, it seems appropriate to me to remain continually veiled. In addition, the phrase in I Corinthians 11:6 “…let her be covered…” indicates that it’s a continual act if you look at it in the Greek it is used in the present, active, imperative form meaning, “let her continue to be veiled,” or “She must be being veiled.”

After seeking and searching, the Lord was really speaking to me about these questions I was asking, and I knew that He was encouraging me to continue to be covered for Him. The thought of such a change in my life scared me to death. Do I want everyone to know I am a Christian all the time everywhere I go? Nobody wears a head covering today. What will people think? What will my family think? Will it cause my children ridicule?

I had so many what-if’s that I didn’t really feel I could get myself to surrender. I was literally getting a huge whopping headache from being so conflicted over my will versus His will. I realized I was having fear of man. And, the Bible addresses that too in Proverbs 29:5 “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.”

So, I had no excuse but to obey. But, I didn’t want to obey this much did I? I might as well carry around a huge sign that says, “Look at me I am a fanatical born-again evangelical Christian.”

Then the Lord brought me to a passage that really brought me to my knees in surrender in Matthew 10:28-38 about not fearing man, but God. He reminded me that I don’t want to deny Him before men, but to be proud to represent Him no matter the cost. I should not care more about my family’s or friend’s opinions. And, he cares what happens to me. He says he knows how many hairs are on my head, and that He values me more than many sparrows. So, I have nothing to fear but God. And, so I must obey. So, I surrendered. And, I put on a head covering for the Lord.

Wendy