Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Sacrament of Marriage
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.(30)
Maya Angelou
once said, “A woman’s heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek
Him just to find her.” When the world tells us to go find the right person
through various dating websites, dating around, and other social settings, God
tells us to seek Him first, and we must focus on living our life for Him. As we
do that, He will provide the right person.
Being
supportive and encouraging of each other
Proverbs 31 is
a well-known passage, and the passage that resonate in
the hearts of many Christian women. Verse ten begins by asking the question of
how one can find a wife of noble character. Then, the passage continues to list
various qualities of what the right woman should be. Many portray women to be
weak, overly emotional, and domestic housewives. Yet, in this passage we read
that the Proverbs 31 woman does the work of the house, and she also has an
occupation. She is not weak, but as verse seventeen says, “…her arms are strong
for her tasks.” The passage is not merely providing men a way to force a woman
to do every task, but to encourage and support her in whatever facet she
chooses to work in. Verse 29 is the husband praising his wife by saying, “Many
women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” In married life, for a woman
to truly be a Proverbs 31 woman, she needs a man who gives her the reason.
Fearing the
Lord is praise-worthy
The book of
Proverbs begins with instructing the reader to fear the Lord. “The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). Proverbs ends with a prime
portrayal of a woman who fears the Lord. “…but a woman who fears the Lord is to
be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). In this passage, the writer does not mention
anything about her physical attraction, but from her desire to serve the Lord
and provide for her family, we see a woman of great character, worth, and
beauty. Marriage is a sacramental vow, and many have broken the vow due to
“falling out of love” when in reality the focus was on physical attraction, not
on spiritual beauty. This passage teaches us to love and serve each other, not
merely looking to our own needs but the needs of each other.
Prayer: Father, let us not simply look to our
own needs, but know that you have placed us in a committed relationship that
should reflect your relationship with the Church – loving, giving, and forgiving.
Amen.
Thought for
the Day: “Eve was not
taken out of Adam’s head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on
by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected
by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.” –Matthew Henry
Mat Stan Samuel, St Paul’s MTC, Dallas
Theme for the week: The sacrament of
Marriage