The Virtuous Wife-Lesson Sixteen

"My heart rejoices in the Lord;

My horn is exalted in the Lord.

I smile at my enemies,

Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

No one is holy like the Lord,

For there is none besides You,

Nor is there any rock like our God."

1 Sam. 2:1-2

Good morning, Ladies! Let's seek the Lord..........

Father, I thank You for Hannah's prayer. Her words are so true and so right. I praise You for being holy above all others. I praise You for being my rock and my salvation. It feels good to know that I can rely on You no matter what happens. I will bless You at all times. Your praise shall continuously be in my mouth.

Because You are holy, I know I am not. I seek Your forgiveness of my sins. I know that it is against You and only You that I have sinned. Please wash me clean this day. Please fill me with Your holy spirit this day to overflowing. I pray that You will fill my home with Your spirit as well. I pray that You will restrain my tongue and keep me from causing pain to those I love.

In Jesus' name............Amen.

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Today's passage: Prov. 31:23 "Her husband is known in the gates, when he is among the elders of the land."

Here we find that the Virtuous Wife's husband is a known man. Remember when we studied Prov. 31:11? Her husband's heart safely trusts her. He sits among the elders of the land.

Gates in scripture have important meaning:

Please read:

Deut. 22:15

Deut. 25:7

The gates were a place for a public forum or commerce. There the elders made important decisions, gave counsel, or judgment to the people.

Ruth 4:1

2 Sam. 19:8

Today we have city hall for commerce. But back then, the people had the elders of the land to help them with counsel.....to seek wisdom:

Prov 1:20-22

But even the enemies of God had gates:

Gen 24:60

Destroying the gates of a city showed ultimate destruction:

Neh. 1:3

When rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah took great care in making sure all the gates were in order:

Nehemiah 3:1-32

The Sheep Gate

The Fish Gate

The Old Gate

The Valley Gate

The Refuse Gate

The Fountain Gate

The Water Gate

The Horse Gate

The East Gate

The Miphkad (recruiting) Gate

Ending with the Sheep Gate

Gates were very important to God.

Psalm 24:7-10

Psalm 87:1-3

Psalm 118:19-21

Matt 16:17-18

So, we can easily see in the Bible how important gates were to God, His people, and His enemies.

When Prov. 31:23 states that the Virtuous Wife's husband "is known at the gates" , we can safely assume he was a man of importance.

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Life Application



All of us have husbands who work and have friends. Many of us have husbands who are known by the elders at church or perhaps they are an elder in the church.



Therefore, all of us know that who we are greatly affects our husbands.



As I have mentioned before, I used to have a reputation for arguing and making sure I got my way by being contentious. How I was acting was affecting my husband. Now, thank the Lord, I know better and pray very hard for God to restrain my tongue and keep me from causing harm to my husband. It isn't easy, but it helps that I remember who my husband is and what his reputation is.



Please read:



Eph 4:29-32



I have learned through other ladies' actions and through God's word that I am not to corrupt my husband's reputation, but instead I am to "let all bitterness, wrath, anger, loud quarreling be put away from me."



Eph 5:1-2



Instead I am to imitate God.



How do you work hard to ensure your husband's reputation is represented well with you? It is difficult at times isn't it? Allowing bitterness or resentment to take root can cause you not to care. Allowing bitterness and and resentment to take root is a sin. Confess it now before the Lord. I know from the past what happens when you let it take root: pain and anguish.



Yet, we read in our opening verse about Hannah:



Please read:



1 Sam. 1:1-18



Imagine her hurt in seeing another woman give her husband, Elkanah, children.



Notice how Hannah handled her disappoinment in her husband: she prayed.



In Psalm 73: 1-17, we see the Psalmist is resentful of the wicked who always seem to prosper in their ways. He was distraught about it and envious of the boastful until.....he "went into the sanctuary of God..." Then he "understood their end."



Hannah could have been resentful, but instead she was obedient like Ruth and many other women of God. She sought His face in her sorrow. And our holy and all powerful Creator of the Universe heard her and answered her prayer.



Our husbands are not perfect. But neither are we! We should focus more on how we can protect our earthly husband like we are called to protect our heavenly husband. The Virtuous Wife understood this.



Please read:



Prov 7:10-11



Prov. 9:13



Prov. 22:14



Instead of being clamorous or simple minded, we are called to be wise:



Prov 21:5



Eph 5:17



Col 1:9



1 Thess. 4:3-6



Are minds are to be renewed through the reading of God's word:



Ro 12:2



The word "con-formed" means "formed with" and the word "trans-formed" means "changed from". We are not to be formed with the world but changed from the world that we may know and do that perfect will of God.



So, remember that our husbands are known. Who we are affects them. Teach this to a younger woman you know so she can know how to please the Lord with her actions and words and not suffer the harsh consequences like I did!



Her husband will thank you for it!!



Until next time...........



"A choice to love your husband is a choice to love God by obeying His high calling. And a choice to love your husband is also a choice that honors the Lord and is a testimony to His glory.

When we choose to love our husband, we become a good advertisement for the Christian faith."



-Elizabeth George (A Woman's High Calling, 2001, p. 138)

Blessings,

Ruth