Sunday 7 Nov 2010

Sunday Reading: Proverbs 11:16
 
Key Verse: Proverbs 11:16
16  A gracious woman keeps honour, and the strong keep riches.

Devotion:
When you read through the bible as it is recorded and translated via King James back in the early years you may well be forgiven for thinking that there was a clear divide between men and women and that women only had a place by their husband’s side. That was the design of the early church and relationships and we can actually learn a whole lot from those examples without being tied down by the sexism. What we do have to remember is that the church is referred to as the bride in our bibles, so drawing parallels between women and the church must surely follow.

When referring to a gracious woman, the proverb is talking about a woman who has the grace of God in her heart and who is virtuous. What better bride could you have than one who knows God, upholds God’s word and who is dedicated to one man in her life? The same has to be said about men as well because they too need to be in control of their own selves so that they will too be a wonderful gift to their spouses. But make sure that you remember that God has to be in the centre of that relationship to start with – otherwise things will go nowhere fast!

Then we come to the ‘manly’ side of the verse; being a strong man who is more than capable of looking after all that he has been given and has gained through good and honest work. If we looked at the wealth from a human perspective then we would have trouble keeping our wealth and serving God at the same time, but equally if we are blessed with wealth, then using it for God’s glory must be on our plan! Where else can we obtain strength that will last and stay firm other than through God and through His Word? We need to make sure that we all do our part in relationships and not just leave it to the other side to do the organising, earning or whatever. We need to work together as a team and make sure that we stay as a team which s a whole lot stronger than an individual. With God as our coach and Christ as our Captain, what can ever go wrong?

Points to Ponder:
Are you a team player?

Are you on God’s team?