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Sunday May 18 - Wife of noble character
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown... Proverbs 12:4
Prioritising external beauty over internal virtue is folly; its effects can cause us to feel inferior and discontented. The reality is that external beauty fades; it creases, sags and extends, giving rise to vain attempts to camouflage, or at best slow down its onset!
Godly wisdom says otherwise. The apostle Peter declared, ‘Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewellery or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight’ (1 Peter 3:3- 4). In Biblical times, parents took the lead in choosing partners for their children. The criteria were often quite different to those today; looks were secondary to belief and character. Unsurprisingly, they often went on to underpin strong and lasting relationships.
A wife of noble character is not a weak, subservient woman; rather she is strong and virtuous, she is loving, loyal, humble, has integrity and wisdom, is kind, considerate and peaceful. Of course this list is not exhaustive, and can apply equally to a husband!
Such a wife is ‘a crown’ to her husband, honouring him and adorning his life. The allusion is to the crown worn by a bridegroom at his marriage (Song of Solomon 3:11). In this way husbands and wives complement one another, engendering mutual respect and honour.
Heavenly Father, may the beauty of Jesus be seen in us, and may our relationships honour your precious Name. Amen.
Monday May 19 - Animal lovers
The righteous care for the needs of their animals... Proverbs 12:10
My wife Carol loves creatures great and small; there is no limit to her acts of kindness to them, whether it’s feeding an exhausted bee with honey or driving miles to release a rat caught in a humane trap. Today’s proverb is very clear – God’s people should have a concern for the welfare of animals.
God gave mankind ‘dominion’; in Genesis 1:26 we read, ’Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”’ In so doing, God has given us a huge responsibility to value, care for and protect his creation in the same way that he exercises loving dominion over us.
Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father” (Matthew 10:29). God places value on even a tiny sparrow. As God’s children we should not only care for the welfare of our own pets but for that of all animals. Put simply, cruelty and neglect are non-negotiable wrongs. All creatures are God’s creatures before they are ours, so let’s take our responsibility to care for them as we should.
Thank you, Father, for all creatures great and small ...you made them all! Please show me how to care for their needs and stand against cruelty. Amen.
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PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY