30 October 2019

Someone I know was describing a friend like this, “this woman was filled with God’s power, overwhelmed with His joy and consumed with His peace.” What a compliment!

Then it goes on to say, “She heard God’s voice on a regular basis and was seeing evidence of His presence in the regular rhythms of her life.”

Oh, to be described like this – what Faith! What a relationship with her God!

She would pray and then believe.

Expect and then see.

Ask and then receive.

“HOW WHAT SHE’D LEARNED ON THE PEW HAD BECOME SUCH A STARTLING REALITY ON THE PAVEMENT OF HER LIFE.” Priscilla Shirer (One in a million)

This was evidence that she had spent time with her Lord and Saviour – meditated/pondered upon His words and got to KNOW Him (like Mary) and surrendered her life to His Kingship.

How would someone describe you?

Generous, kind, peaceful, confident, but not in a bad way, happy, content, striving for more, for better. Caring, loving, thoughtful, has self-control, nurturing, productive, purposeful, joy-filled?…

Have you ever read Proverbs 31? The woman described there is amazing. So capable but so balanced at the same time. Not a NAG. Not a manipulator. Not stressed out. Not whinging. She does not raise her voice and is not out of control.

Sounds like me all of the time. Ha-ha. Did you laugh too?

But this superwoman described in Proverbs 31 is attainable – with the help of God!

King Solomon wrote a lot of the sayings in Proverbs. He was the King, who, when asked by God what did he want as a gift, asked for wisdom.

At the beginning of Proverbs 31, it states ‘the words of King Lemuel of Massa.’ (It is proposed that was referring to Hezekiah or Solomon.) But the next line makes me sit up and take notice.

• ‘An inspired utterance his mother taught him.’ What a wise mother!
• She advises her son how to act as King, how to treat others, those less fortunate than he.

This mother goes on to describe an amazing. woman who encourages her son to go find such a woman for his wife.

‘An excellent woman one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent and virtuous who is he who can find her?’ (Prov 31:10. AMP)

If I can do half the things describing who she is and what she does, I would be pleased.

‘She comforts, encourages, and does only good… works with willing hands in delight… rises while it is still night and gives food to her household… (Sometimes I’m mumbling with an unhappy demeanour as I climb out of bed early, definitely not a good example to others) … expands her business and plants fruitful vines with her profits… she equips herself with strength – spiritual, mental and physical fitness for her God-given tasks. (So, she has gone to the gym, or jogged/danced/exercised, relaxed and refreshed herself and prayed, read scripture and other spirit-filled writings AND spent time with the Lord. Wow! On a regular basis!)

Her lamp does not go out……for she has prepared for the future…she spins wool into thread for clothing…she opens and extends her hands to the poor…and she reaches out with full hands to the needy.” AMP

Oh, so productive and caring for her family, for the poor and those in need. So outward-looking. And this woman’s attributes and abilities go on and on.

Is this a Disney Movie? Make-believe?

Or is this a model of what we could be like in many areas. Growing in our gifts and multitasking in many areas. Maybe not everything, but in some.

I can cook a meal, but some of my children are amazing cooks – more like chefs. Even the things they can concoct from leftovers are amazing. But that’s ok. I’m happy just cooking a nutritious meal for hungry mouths. But for those of you who love cooking delightful exotic meals, go for it.

What I can learn from this woman is more the heart – the stable, content, generous, all-encompassing, honouring, joy-filled, forgiving, compassionate, merciful heart. That’s what I want to be! A woman who has all of these qualities emulating from her heart that is grounded in a love relationship with her God.

What about you? Food for thought. How would an onlooker, your friends describe you?

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love always

Rosemary