What Awesome Responsibility!

I am so grateful that what the Lord directs, He empowers! For years, I lived intimidated by the Proverbs 31 woman... "capable, intelligent and virtuous". Who was she? What did she look like? For "she is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls." O Lord, how do I become her? Please make me her!

The Lord loves a request like that! I am convinced, by experience, that He is willing to turn worlds upside down - for the better - when we come to the place of letting go! It is His pleasure to teach us and transform us. I think often times He's just waiting for me to stop telling Him how to do it! He renews our minds as we spend time in His Word. He sends wise counsel to help us walk in the Truth. And He gives power to take a leap of faith and follow it up with one baby step after another! Proverbs 4:11-12 says, "I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble."

Do you know what virtuous means? I was reading Proverbs 12 in the Amplified Bible and when I got to verse 4, it said, "A virtuous and worthy wife [earnest and strong in character] is a crowning joy to her husband, but she who makes him ashamed is as rottenness in his bones." I commented to the Lord that I didn't really know what virtuous meant but I proceeded to think "well, I guess it means earnest and strong in character" and kept going... The Lord stopped me in my tracks! "You just told Me that you didn't know what virtuous means! Aren't you even going to stop and look?"

The word translated here as virtuous is the Hebrew word "chayil". It means a force of means or other resources, strength or power applied (for good in all 3 cases where it is translated "virtuous" in the OT: Ruth 3:11, Proverbs 12:4 and Proverbs 31:10). It comes from the root word "chuwl" which can mean to cause to dance OR writhe in pain, to bring forth OR fall grieviously, to be born OR to wound painfully. Wheww! As wives, we have such HUGE responsibility! We can cause our husbands to dance with joy or wound them painfully! We can be used of God to birth and bring forth tremendous renewal in them or we can cause them to fall grieviously! In other passages, this same word is used as a military term, such as when speaking of Gideon in Judges 6:12.

Lord, may I use all of my resources, applied for good, to bless my husband. May I go to war for him in prayer. May I comfort him and make our home comfortable. May I be his number 1 cheerleader and encourage him every day. Help me to rise while it is yet night and get spiritual food for my household. May I serve him as unto You. May I gird myself with strength, spirituall, mentally and physically for this God-given task. Lord, You have poured out Your favor upon our home and I praise You! May I be a crowning joy to my husband and may he dance with joy! In Your strength and Your power, Amen.