Clothing is covering, what you see first and most of. When you looked at Sarah you saw strength and honor. She did not appear like a weakling. I picture her with an aura of strength surrounding her.
Though I do believe we should try to stay physically strong, I think her appearance of strength came from inside not big biceps. She had confidence in herself and I believe confidence in her God. She did not need to be bowed down with worry or strife. She knew that whatever came in the future, she and her God could handle it together.
I also think she had a strength of character (remember, this is the "virtuous woman"). I think you could depend on her to do what was right, not just what was convenient for herself. She behaved in an honorable way to the extent that when you looked at her you SAW honor.
What about you? Think of how you appear to other people. When they look at you do they have reason to think ''There is a strong, honorable woman?" Could you be trusted to do what is right even if it is not necessarily in your best interests? The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 2:4
"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."
And in 1 Corinthians 10:24
"Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth."
This is a hard thing to put into action. To consider other people's concerns before your own is not natural to the human race. We are all human and think first and foremost of what will benefit us. Yet this is not the way the Bible tells us to think.
I have a theory. I believe everyone has a religion. Everyone worships a "god" of some sort.
Most humans worship the god of self. Whatever makes my "self" happy is what I should do.
The problem with this "religion" is that "self" is a very- well- selfish god. Self is never satisfied.
How many of you have wanted something for a long time, thinking that if you could only have it you would be really happy, only to discover after you work for it and have had it awhile there is something else you "need" just as much.
You know; "When I get a boyfriend I will be happy." Only to discover that you then need to get engaged to be happy. Then get married, have children, have the children in school, have the children out of the house, get a job, get more education, get a new house, get a divorce, get a boyfriend ... and on and on it goes.
How many times have you joyfully acquired something only to have your joy turn to dissatisfaction when your neighbor bought the "new and improved" version?
This is "self" demanding more and greater sacrifices in order to be pleased. "Self" will never be contented. She is just the kind of god that delights in always changing the rules and keeping her worshiper hopping and guessing.
Jesus said His yoke (work) was easy, His load was light. What does He require of us? Only two things;
Love the Lord our God with everything we have and
Love our neighbor as much as we do ourselves. Mathew 22:37
This does not leave anything left to sacrifice to "self" does it?
This is why it works; God built into us, when He made us, a twist that the less we focus on "self" the weaker and in fact, happier she becomes. If we devote our all to pleasing God, He makes sure "self" is happy. We take care of Him and His business and He takes care of ours. He will even work divine miracles on our behalf if we are doing our all to please Him.
You see, unlike "self," God knows what will really make us happy.
It may not be money. In fact it probably isn't. But He knows what it is. And He loves us so much He has promised that if we will do what is really best for us in the first place, (quit trying to please "self” and give our all to Him) He will make sure we are happy.
"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." Psalms 37:4, 5
God knows what the desires of our hearts are better than we do ourselves. If we trust Him to take care of us, and we do the best we can to love Him and care for others, He will care for us. The Bible says God can not lie and He has given us this promise.
Do you know why Sarah "shall rejoice in time to come"?
Because she knows God has promised her the desires of her heart. She knows her future is in His hands, not her own, fallible, human hands. She can trust her God. He will make sure she has things to rejoice over.God is our Father and like most human fathers He wants to "spoil" His kids as much as He can without harming them. Being God, of course, He knows just how much spoiling we can take without becoming rotten.
He knows whether it will please us to live in the country or the city, a big house or a little one, a one story or a two story. We may think we want a big, two-story house in the country, but He knows we will really be happier in a small one story in the city.
We have to really trust Him to give us what is best, that it is best, even when it is not what we would pick out for ourselves.
If we do this- determine to trust God, love Him with our everything, and look out for our neighbor first- we will have reason to rejoice in times to come, too. Just imagine all the joy we can have if that mean ole' "self" doesn't get in the way! I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow will bring! What fun, what blessings does God have in store?
No comments:
Post a Comment