Wednesday, October 1, 2014
"Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
- Proverbs 31:25 (NRSVCE)
This scripture has been an encouragement to me… But more often than not, instead of taking it on board as my stance in life, I find myself thinking “I wish this were me…” It has at times been a heartache wish or hope of who I would like to be, rather than an encouragement around who I am. Through the day to day ebb and flow of life, I sometimes feel clothed with frustration and tiredness, lack and emptiness… frowning at tomorrow with worry and apprehension… We were not designed to live under the heavy weight of worry or frustration… our hearts are not meant to have that annoying itch of “if only and what if” attacking it day by day. This happens we focus solely on ourselves and our own sphere of resources, instead of centring ourselves in Christ and allowing Him to be our portion; our strength in weakness, peace in frustration and fear, our hope for tomorrow. There is a posture and lightness of spirit when you rise trusting in Jesus, taking Him at His word, and truly living in His strength and purposes. We are clothed in strength and dignity. Don’t leave those two beautiful garments lying on the floor gathering dust and slowly being forgotten about, but take hold of the strength of Christ and the dignity of His resurrection and redemption and place them firmly upon your shoulders. Wear them proudly. And when clothed with strength and dignity, head held high by the love and grace of Christ, you can’t help but replace worry with laughter and fear with a confident smile that no matter what you face today or tomorrow, you have a future and a hope. And this scripture isn’t exclusive to women, it’s applicable to everyone and is ultimately a picture of the Church – the bride of Christ. It’s who God has purposed us to be in our communities… A place where people can find strength in the midst of their weakness, restoring dignity to those who are weighed down, and giving hope to the broken so they can smile at their future. Pickup that beautiful cloak of strength and dignity, wear it daily and learn to laugh with joy at what is to come, the hope that fills tomorrow."
and she laughs at the time to come.
- Proverbs 31:25 (NRSVCE)
This scripture has been an encouragement to me… But more often than not, instead of taking it on board as my stance in life, I find myself thinking “I wish this were me…” It has at times been a heartache wish or hope of who I would like to be, rather than an encouragement around who I am. Through the day to day ebb and flow of life, I sometimes feel clothed with frustration and tiredness, lack and emptiness… frowning at tomorrow with worry and apprehension… We were not designed to live under the heavy weight of worry or frustration… our hearts are not meant to have that annoying itch of “if only and what if” attacking it day by day. This happens we focus solely on ourselves and our own sphere of resources, instead of centring ourselves in Christ and allowing Him to be our portion; our strength in weakness, peace in frustration and fear, our hope for tomorrow. There is a posture and lightness of spirit when you rise trusting in Jesus, taking Him at His word, and truly living in His strength and purposes. We are clothed in strength and dignity. Don’t leave those two beautiful garments lying on the floor gathering dust and slowly being forgotten about, but take hold of the strength of Christ and the dignity of His resurrection and redemption and place them firmly upon your shoulders. Wear them proudly. And when clothed with strength and dignity, head held high by the love and grace of Christ, you can’t help but replace worry with laughter and fear with a confident smile that no matter what you face today or tomorrow, you have a future and a hope. And this scripture isn’t exclusive to women, it’s applicable to everyone and is ultimately a picture of the Church – the bride of Christ. It’s who God has purposed us to be in our communities… A place where people can find strength in the midst of their weakness, restoring dignity to those who are weighed down, and giving hope to the broken so they can smile at their future. Pickup that beautiful cloak of strength and dignity, wear it daily and learn to laugh with joy at what is to come, the hope that fills tomorrow."
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