Hello, friends. Let me begin by saying my heart and prayers are with all those in Oklahoma devastated by this awful storm. We can do something by praying and giving and I hope you will join many around the world who are doing that.
Our items today are encouraging us to look at this very notable woman in Proverbs 31. Whether she was a real person or whether she was a composite, we can use her as a role model today and we need not be intimated by her or compare ourselves to her. We are all in different seasons of life and we don't know at what season she was when this was written about her. What is most notable about this passage - for me - is not what she did but what she was.
Women today are overwhelmed with choices for themselves and for their families. Kathi Macias in MOTHERS OF THE BIBLE SPEAK TO MOTHERS OF TODAY says: "...a successful life is more about timely priorities and wise choices". God has designed each of us differently to accomplish different things. The Proverbs 31 women was designed to do different things than us, but we were all designed to "...love the Lord your God with all your heart..." (Deu. 6:5) and that is what made this woman such an accomplished woman. Her work was accomplished because her heart caused her to make wise choices. God has given us - you and me - everything we need to have hearts that want to please Him. This woman was trustworthy, strong, honorable, fearless, joyful, kind, wise, praiseworthy and feared the Lord. Guess what? These are all ways we can be successful through an indwelling Spirit. Ask Him for help in any of these areas. It might be a good start to your day for the next week to ask for help in each of these items.
Whatever season of life you are in, whatever the tasks of your day are, and whatever difficult circumstances you face, He will give you the strength and dignity to do them. May your beauty come from an inner heart that is in awe of Him. Several years ago The Daily Bread said: "righteousness in the heart produces beauty in the character". Praying for you as you become beautiful!
For further study: Deuteronomy 6:13, Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 139:23, Proverbs 9:10, Proverbs 10:8, Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 36:26, Matthew 5:6, Mark 12:30, 1 Corinthians 14:25, Colossians 3:23
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
May 21, 2013
May 1, 2013
My help comes from the Lord - Psalm 121:2
Do you ever ask yourself a question? To go even further, do you ever answer your own questions? Usually when I ask myself a question - and, yes, occasionally I do - it is because I don't have an answer. Sometimes, just verbalizing it - to myself or to someone else - helps me to understand what my dilemma is. However, being in my mid-60s I often forget what the question ever was before I can even consider an answer. One of my signs in our home says "SIMPLIFY"...questions often complicate things.
Our psalmist today looked to the hills to wonder where his help was coming from - we're not sure why. One of the possible answers is there were places of worship in the mountains and particularly those Israelites who were seeking God knew no other place to look. They also knew He created the "heavens and the earth" so they looked up to find Him. The important thing to note is the psalmist knew where his help came from. Six times in this psalm he talks about the Lord as his "guard". Maybe he asked himself the question in verse 1 just so he could remind himself of the many ways our God helps and guards.
Who are you looking to for help today? Did they create the heavens and the earth? Did they hang the sun, moon and stars keeping them there for thousands of years? Do they have everlasting love for you? Did they know you when you were made in the secret place? I think you get the idea...we look for help from the most unlikely sources. Oswald Chambers says:
Our psalmist today looked to the hills to wonder where his help was coming from - we're not sure why. One of the possible answers is there were places of worship in the mountains and particularly those Israelites who were seeking God knew no other place to look. They also knew He created the "heavens and the earth" so they looked up to find Him. The important thing to note is the psalmist knew where his help came from. Six times in this psalm he talks about the Lord as his "guard". Maybe he asked himself the question in verse 1 just so he could remind himself of the many ways our God helps and guards.
Who are you looking to for help today? Did they create the heavens and the earth? Did they hang the sun, moon and stars keeping them there for thousands of years? Do they have everlasting love for you? Did they know you when you were made in the secret place? I think you get the idea...we look for help from the most unlikely sources. Oswald Chambers says:
There is only One Being who can satisfy the
last aching abyss of the human heart, and that
is the Lord Jesus Christ."
We must stop thinking our help will come from any other source. If we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. We need no other lover of our soul.
For further study: Exodus 14:14, Deuteronomy 31:6, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 46:1, Psalm 139:10, Isaiah 41:10, Isaiah 58:11, Ephesians 3:20, Hebrews 13:6, James 4:8
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
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