What a Woman #Five

I like descriptive words. Adjectives and adverbs. They add colour and detail. They help me 'see' what has been written or is being described. They tell me the 'how', not just the what.


So 'how' is the woman of excellence in Proverbs 31 described? What can we learn about her from the adjectives in verse 17?


She sets about her work vigorously;
   her arms are strong for her tasks. (NIV)


First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
   rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. (The Message)


She dresses herself with strength
   and makes her arms strong. (ESV)


She is energetic and strong,
      a hard worker. (NLT)


She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong and firm. (Amplified)


Hmmmmm....maybe I'm not a fan of describing words any more. Doesn't this all sound a little too much...for a Monday morning...and to one with arms that wobble?


Perhaps on our own it is a little too much, but with the help of the One who IS all these things and more and promises to GIVE us all these things and more, we can be the enthusiastic, energetic, extraordinary women that God has called us to be. 


And it doesn't matter what our day looks like. Whether we have in fact dressed in work clothes and headed out the door to teach or cut hair or fix teeth or counsel or type or drive a truck or heal or...... OR whether we are still in our pyjamas at 10am looking after little ones at home. Like I wrote in previous post Eye Witness, God SEES it all. And He's the One who said He would be with us always and be our helper.

I am convinced, that every little task we do today would be better if we did it keeping in mind that God is with us....He has given us this task to do....He has promised to empower us to do it and do it well. We just need to remember He's there and ask for His help.


So as you start today...or head into the afternoon....or finish the day, would you join me in this prayer?


'God we are privileged to be Yours. To know that we matter to the One who made all things, including us, and set in motion plans and purposes for our lives fill us with awe and wonder. May we see beyond the routine and the mundane and the work and challenges of life and catch a glimpse of amazing You. And Lord, would You fill us with the energy and enthusiasm and strength and joy that we need to do all of life well?'


WOW! We can speak to Almighty God...He hears and listens...then He acts powerfully and swiftly. Now that's something to get truly, deeply, wonderfully, crazily excited about!