"Blessed be Your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
Good day, Ladies! Let's seek the Lord's blessings..........
I come before You, Lord, to seek Your face this morning. I pray that You will speak to us through this study so that we may learn more about You and what You have done for us. I pray that You will teach me how to watch over the ways of my household in a way that pleases You. I pray for each lady reading this lesson that You will speak to her and change her heart through the reading of Your word.
I seek forgiveness of my sins for I know it is against You that I have sinned. I pray that You will blot out my transgressions, my selffishness, my arrogance. I pray that You will wash me clean through Your word and renew me this day. I pray that You will fill me with Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus' name..........Amen.
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Today's passage: Prov 31:27 "She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness."
We have covered work, exercise, money issues, use of talents and time, respecting our husbands, being wise......all these facets of being a Virtuous Woman and Wife.
As we complete the "work" portions of Proverbs 31, we see that her final destination is back in her home where it all counts.
The Virtuous Wife travels afar for food, she sells her wares to the merchants, she works in the home with her hands as well as outside the home. She is a good steward of all that she has. But her final resting place or destination is ultimately her home.
Please read:
Titus 2:3-5
Here we Christian women have our calling.
1 Cor 14:34-35
We are to be learning, but yet submissive.
But what about our household? How are we managing that?
Today our kids have it better than we did, but they also have it worse. Remember how I mentioned about the dangers of having too many choices? Kids today are in constant danger from the many choices put before them.
As a mom and grandmother, you and I have the awesome responsibility to manage what comes into the home as well as what leaves the home. Our husbands are at work all day and they trust that we are respecting their authority in the home while they are away.
Prov. 31:11-12
When my husband requests that our son not watch certain types of shows on TV when he is at work, he has to trust me that I will ensure that these rules are followed. When that trust is annuled, then the home becomes troubled.
I do enforce these rules out of fear of God and respect for my husband even when I am in disagreement with him. It is far better to be in obedience to the Lord than to win an argument about whether rules are right or wrong.
I know! I found out the hard way.
Fearing the Lord is what leads to obedience.
Please read:
Joshua 2:1-24
What was Rahab's occupation?
Was she a believer in the God of Joshua?
Joshua 2:10-11
Did she fear the Lord? Why?
James 2:24-26
Remember that God was known for His works. Therefore, we are to be known for our works as well as our faith.
Gen 1:27
Rahab had heard about what the Hebrew God had done and she greatly feared him. As a result, she obeyed and it was accounted to her as righteousness.
That is the kind of woman I want to be!
"She does not eat the bread of idleness..."
As a young mom, when I was home with my son I found it tempting to just plop him down in front of the TV and get some housework done or just nap. But I knew all that TV would turn my son's brain to mush. Getting him out of the house was hard, at times, especially in the summer time, but I knew it was essential.
We'd visit every part in town so often that Nathan named them all. There was the Blue Park, the Yellow Park, the Peacock Park, the Orange Park, etc. I started taking him to the library when he was 6 mos. old! Walking at the mall worked until I was too tempted to purchase things everytime we went, so no more mall! But our time together was fun and I cherish those memories now. I drove by the Yellow Park earlier this week and got all teary eyed!
Please read:
Prov. 6:6
Prov 15:19
Prov 15:24
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Life Application
"Home is where the heart is...."
A very common saying that we have all heard before.
Watching over the ways of our household includes many things like the food our children and husbands eat, where and how the money is spent, how time is spent, etc. But it also means what is being taught and administered in our home.
I hear many moms say that they want to "home school" their children because there are no good schools out there anymore. I agree that in Arizona, we have a shortage of good quality schools, but I disagree that there are no good schools out there anymore at all. I know this because my son attends a very good charter school.
But that doesn't mean that I do not "home school" my son as well. I firmly believe that as moms, we are to home school our children whether they attend school outside the home or not.
One of my former classmates was recently married. She was asking us moms in the class about being parentally involved in our children's schools. She didn't think it meant having to know the teachers and the principal and the curriculum. She thought just volunteering a few hours a week should suffice, but I told her that it did mean all that and more. Our children are far too important to send them on their way for 8 hours into a place we know nothing about.
Once my son leaves school and comes home, his education does not stop. He is always being taught by me constantly. I do this by being prepared to answer any and all his questions. This means I have to know what the curriculum is at his school and what is being taught. This takes time and research. Substitute teaching at his school has helped me immeasureably! I know, you say, "But Ruth, you only have one kid!" And I am sure if I had four kids I probably wouldn't even know the name of the school they attended let alone the curriculum taught there. Yes, having one kid does make it easier to be involved in his education. But it also means we only get one shot at getting it right!
But just because you may have a brood of kids doesn't get you off the hook! You remain their Master Teacher while they are home with you. Being a Master of anything requires research into any topic. Trust me, I know about this from spending time researching one topic over the last year and a half.
We teach Nathan art lessons, about computer software, about history. But, by far, the greatest education Nathan receives at home is in the Bible. Scott and I both teach Nathan about scripture so that we can show him the God we worship. Nathan asks some pretty tough questions because he is a very smart boy. He keeps us on our toes!
Please read:
Deut. 6:1-9
Prov. 13:13
We are to teach our children the commandments of God constantly. Their education begins at home.
As a result, I have no fear of Nathan hearing about evolution or philosophy or entering into the world. I know he has heard from the beginning the Truth and the Gospel of God. Oh, he may turn away for a time, but if he truly belongs to the Lord he will come back to the Lord having tested the scriptures. But I have no fear of the world....
Matt 10:28
Deut. 6:24-25
For in fearing the Lord we obey...and if we obey we have covenant with God...and when we have covenant with a holy God, we have protection and covering....and in that protection there is peace.
Romans 5:1-5
Tribulations will come into our homes....but the hope of God will also be there. That is where the peace comes from.
1 Pet. 3:13-17
1 Pet. 4:1-2
Material things can be great, for a time. Spending time or money decorating a home with beautiful things can be fun. I know, I am presently redecorating our bathroom and it is hard work, but fun too.
But what is more important than the mere asthetically pleasing parts of the home are the spiritual parts of the home. I have learned that there is only momentary satisfaction in material things around me because they are finite. Children's "good behavior" or "good grades" may be great, but as with all finite things....they can change. What happens when suddenly those good grades plummit or the good behavior goes away? Teaching them the eternal is what matters. What is eternal never changes or goes away.
I have found that the eternal satisfaction of listening to my son tell me he read the book of Revelation chapters 19-22 in church on Sunday is far greater and sweeter than anything bought or sold in a store because I know the Lord was speaking to my son in a personal way that was just between the two of them.
That softens my heart and brings me great peace.
Matt. 6:19-21
That is where my heart is.
Until next time...............
"Behold, all souls are Mine;
The soul of the father as well as of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die. But if a man is just and does what is lawful and right.....if he has walked in My statutes and kept My judgments faithfully- He is just; He shall surely live!" Says the Lord God.
Ezekiel 18:4-9
Blessings,
Ruth
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