Psalm 31:
9-13 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am
in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My
life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because
of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. Because of all my enemies, I am the
utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends-- those who see me
on the street flee from me. I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I
have become like broken pottery. For I hear the slander of many; there is
terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life.
Certainly
reading Psalm 31…verses sink in our heart and thoughts of those who have pleas to reach the Lord.
There is that unwarranted persecution and yes trouble. And does not trouble
follow the righteous? It appears like a dog after a tasty bone, does it not?
Jesus
mentions this in John 17:14-15 I have given them Your word, and the world has
hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should
keep them from the evil one.
As the
righteous we are set apart for ministry. Each in regard to their calling even a married woman raising four children. That is a calling! The
married man to watch over his home and his place of work. He keeps watch by
prayer and hearing the Lord’s voice. Yes, each of these is in their walk to keeping
the focus of God’s plan in view to hear the will of the Lord’s voice.
In regard
to Psalm 31, verse 9 reads: have mercy on me, O LORD for I am in trouble; my
eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! For many people who have trouble
in their marriage can face heartache. They try reaching for that which
flickered with a light years ago but somehow and somewhere, someone forgot to
keep the flame in the blazing mode of brilliance. It always takes two people to make a marriage work. With that in mind, we should first have a relationship with God and then the person you see as your spouse, right?
I heard people speak many times of their
thoughts on how they kept their fire burnings, but in their speaking you find
that one’s job took their extra effort and stayed at the work place more
than they were at home to keep a fire even to burn. Another spoke how they never seemed to be a
part of the marriage team. Their voice never seemed to be heard in whatever the
conversation was being engaged. Still another gave voice that her husband did
not hear her ever! I had wondered how two people could get to that first
conversation at the first meeting of one another and then have no conversation
after that. Monopolizing a whole conversation could be hard for anyone to bear
no matter who you are but then to marry that person seemed like a miraculous
thing indeed to me! So whatever the
circumstance for man or woman, or even a youth, anything broken is a serious
matter. And certainly heartache is serious. BUT Jesus came to heal the
brokenhearted. He came to bind up wounds and to deliver us into His peace and
healing! And to converse about that is to contact God first and foremost, to hear Him and then to do what He instructs!
People are in a grief today of coronavirus! They have experienced grief in lockdowns, shutdowns, closed signs, wearing masks to disguise and even cover their smile which welcomes that hidden and muffled “hello” to being social distanced because of a fear. They find themselves being hounded by "Karens" who yell for police and 911 but some places have defunded their police departments, so who are you going to call?
I thought on this weeks ago when school would have been starting about all those children who would not be back in public schools. They would not be back among their peers. I thought how many young people would only see another like them from a screen on their computer, being miles apart and never to have that close and personal opportunity to say hello and have a conversation with them of how they enjoyed the summer or how they had “no summer!” People require conversation! We were never meant to be alone! God showed us that in the Garden of Eden.
I always
think of God sending angels to announce the birth of Jesus. He sent angels to
declare before shepherds in a field who kept a watch over a flock of sheep with
no flood lights, no roadways, but only pathways, with no cell phones, but only
that occasional conversation between those shepherds passing as they work in
the fields on that special night! I thought of there not being a folding chair
to get comfortable by a fire to warm the bones of one who had already put in
work for a day now to work all night. But something occurred. Something changed
the mundane to the best of all things ever. God sent a notice.....announced something had happened. He engaged mankind!
We were in
conversation with our daughter and son-in-law a couple of weeks ago. And she
was talking of songs she remembered from her early years at school and
especially those she remembered in her times at the skating center. Between the
two of them, our daughter and son-in-law, they could think of a number of
songs, but one I keep going back to is “It’s a Heartache” by Bonnie Tyler. Then
she had hits like “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Holding out for a Hero”. Now this lady had some heart issues and you
can tell by the words written and sang about what they were! Now the songs were special
when skating with your spouse or even your child in that family time
and a family evening together, but I also thought especially since Thanksgiving
Day of this year for those who spent time giving thanks to God that 2020 is
almost over. I know many could not record that song so milllions could hear it, but I thought of those who spent the day giving thanks they are alive
to see another year coming. I thought of
those who spent time singing about the goodness of God!
Yes, the
year 2020 has brought many to their knees, some for senseless things, but
others in regard to loved ones dying, in regard to working from home, no toilet
paper to be found, and bread and milk not available to a family with small
children. There were mandates, and
demands and yes, people have gone from crying to emotional pain and even to the
point of a physical pain. Loss was mentioned by many who have an anchor chair in the
news department, and many who just had loose tongues this year and we should
watch what comes out of our mouths. We should not be those who run around with loose tongues giving opinions and no truth.
I thought
of people using the word “privileged” and those who love God, the righteous are
the privileged indeed. It tells of the virtuous, the capable, the person who is
the godly and brings about profit to her (or his) family.
Proverbs
31:10 Who can find the virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. 11 The
heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13 She seeks wool and
flax, and willingly works with her hands. 14 She is like the merchant ships,
she brings her food from afar. 15 She also rises while it is yet night and
provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants. 16 She
considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. 17 She
girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms. 18 She perceives that
her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. 19 She stretches
out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle. 20 She extends
her hand to the poor, yes she reaches out her hands to the needy. 21 She is not
afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with
scarlet. 22 She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and
purple. 23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of
the land. 24 She makes linen garments and tells them and supplies sashes for
the merchants. 25 Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in
time to come. 26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law
of kindness. 27 She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat
the bread of idleness. 28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her
husband also, and he praises her: 29 “ Many daughters have done well, but you
excel them all.” 30 charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who
fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her praise own works praise her in the gates.
To begin:
the first nine verses of Proverbs 31 deals with what is called symbolically
that Lady Wisdom. But the rest of Proverbs 31 deals with the real woman who is
flesh and blood. Every man and woman can learn from this proverb of wisdom
that regards the individual and the family at large!
Verse 10:
who can find the virtuous wife? Who can find that person who has virtue?
Are we looking for someone who is virtuous?
The apostle
Paul commands us to think on things which are
virtuous: Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever
things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever
things are lovely, whatever things are of a good report, if there is any
virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy---meditate on these things.
The virtuous begins with thoughts in the mind.
Our actions give away to what our thought process has been. The apostle Paul
gives us guidance in what our minds should hold so that our character and
conduct will line up with what God expects in the righteous man or woman.
We cannot allow our minds to dwell upon evil and expect to live virtuously before God. "Evil company corrupts good habits" (1 Corinthians 15:33). If our mind is in the gutter, we cannot live a virtuous life. Christians can never escape all of the negative influences of sin living on the earth, but we have a choice of whom we will serve in our hearts and minds. We must not continue to dwell on the sin that surrounds us as we interact with people of the world. We can never allow ourselves to gleefully entertain the pleasures of unrighteousness in our minds (2 Thessalonians. 2:11-12; and 2 Tim. 3:1-4). To do so is sin ( Matt. 5:27-30).
From verse
15-17, the thought is of diligence to her or him who gives tremendous strength
to earn money for the family but also to earn extra to buy that vineyard. It takes
work to remove those stones to plant vines to grow grapes. It takes some muscle
to work to dig that winepress and then build that tower to protect that vineyard once it is flourishing.
It is the
Proverbs 31 person who laughs at the days to come as seen in verse 25.
Those who can laugh at the days to come, laugh in seeing the approach of 2021,
will be those secure in knowing Who holds the future. That person is the one
who will rejoice because God is in the midst of every part of their life. Good
or bad, the person is equipped with the word of God, equipped with His power
and ready for the days ahead with a smile on the face and an expectancy within
the heart that God is with them because they have chosen His way of life!
You may be
the Psalm 31 person where your strength fails because of affliction and your
bones grow weak as seen in verse 10, but Proverbs 31 person is the strong and
the healthy. Proverbs 31 tells us a “woman” who is strong and healthy, that she
is one set about to do work vigorously and that her arms are strong for her
tasks! She is one who has strength like the young person but she also has honor
like the older person. When she gives instruction she is giving it by the
wisdom of God and the love of Him in her heart. That person is always one known
as the vigilant and the diligent. She is no sluggard!
With the
present day of social media in the lives of many, the life of a woman or even a
man can revert back to a high school popularity contest. And if you stay around
those who act more like teenagers than the grown and the mature, then it is
most certainly the time to find the right place to spend that quality moment away from those who will only make you feel
socially inferior as you can see from this given in Psalm 31:11-13: Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest
friends— those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten as though
I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. For I hear many whispering, “Terror
on every side!” They conspire against me and plot to take my life.
Men and
women should not be about pleasing everyone around them. Jesus did not do that.
Focus on Jesus, read to find understanding that discerns your walk, and
discerns the right from the wrong! Yes, we can read Proverbs 31 as “The MOST
Popular”, yes, everyone is tweeting about them, but struggle is found when
those things appear suddenly and that same person is not capable of handling
all the hoopla of such great attention so quickly. They get off on a tangent
and may not find that narrow path back in safety! Your spouse may not match up
to the respectable, but certainly God’s word works and when we apply it to our
lives and those of our spouse we can see changes come. Some may be slow, but
others can come sooner when we continue to activate His word of truth now,
today in this moment for them! Your children may not be serving God and in this hour of
coronavirus, they may be still trying to find where they need to live to have a
job to go to and perform every day. May we continue to speak as David did:
Psalm 31NKJV “But as for me, I trust in
you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands; deliver me from
the hands of my enemies, from those who persecute me.”
I remember
when a lady sent this Psalm 31 to me. Her name Juliana C. She was over all
those who ministered in Jail Ministry for Snohomish County, Washington. She sent
it to both men and women alike and it was to encourage those who spent the time
in prayer, study and meditation to see God’s purpose on earth in the jails to
reach those incarcerated by bad behavior. It was about seeing God’s goodness to
those who needed a Savior.
She
encouraged me, when things were not so wonderful for me, not so great for me,
but she showed me how to keep the focus and it has become the fruitful field.
That was some sixteen years ago, but I always think of my times are in His hands! And I have
continually spoke as the Lord speaks and to believe with a heart of faith, His
will is done on earth as it is in heaven….coronavirus or no coronavirus,….God
is sufficient!
The Psalm
31 person encountered anxiety: “it is the what if” issue. It looks like what if
the children remain disobedient, why are all my children “the prodigals”, why
is there issue in the body and nothing is given as the cause nor the
solution?
But as that
woman who was the esteemed by her husband her children, we too would like to be
esteemed and Proverbs 31 points to children that rise and call her blessed and
her husband also. Your children may not call you the blessed, but God calls you
the blessed and from that point you begin. I say to you b-e-g-i-n that
walk in seeing God as your refuge as seen in Psalm 91. See yourself dwelling
with the Most High God and then whatever is going on outside of you will be
buffered by that power of God on the inside of you. Psalm 31: 19-21 Oh, how
great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which
You have prepared for those who trust in You, in the presence of the sons of
men! 20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots
of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong
city!
Yes, we are
the fortified when we stay with God and work at that relationship within His
presence and His great love that sustain man or woman in all the challenges
outside the home as coronavirus or men with wicked intentions as trying to
overthrow elections for their purposes, for that challenge is seen, but we keep
our homes in His love and His focus. We keep speaking His word over our spouse,
over their position, over their drive to work and home, we keep God’s angels
active to perform what is needed. So if you have been dealt a blow and find
yourself in a depressive state, social challenges being locked in one location
or with physical ailments when you have no opportunity to seek medical help or
even with family problems, the key thing to remember is this: we exist. God
planned for you and He planned for me. He planned something good. He desired us
to live as this moment for His glory and to His praise. We belong to Him Who is
greater. We belong to Him! Proverbs 3: 19 The LORD by wisdom founded the
earth; By understanding He established the heavens; 20 By His knowledge the
depths were broken up, And clouds drop down the dew. 21 My son let them not
depart from your eyes- Keep sound
wisdom and discretion; 22 So they will
be life to your soul, And grace to your neck. 23 Then you will walk safely in your
way, And your foot will not stumble. 24 When you lie down, you will not be
afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be
afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; 26 For
the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.
NKJV
Righteous behavior will always bring a great reward. We are
to detest anything not virtuous. We look for His wisdom, to gain more knowledge
of Him and then apply that to our lives and that of our children, our jobs, and
anything else that can come in contact with our lives. Wise counsel is needed
when there is anxiety, loss and pain. Wisdom of God is so vital to withstand
the onslaught of the enemy and we keep to His peace, and love that guides us
through whatever emotional, physical, mental or spiritual chaos. For we have
seen what a virus can do, but we also know what God can do when we allow Him
in!
New teaching at: Voice of Prayer
