IN JULY OF THIS 2020 YEAR, THE LORD GAVE ME A PROVERBS JOURNAL THAT ALLOWED ME TO READ A CHAPTER EACH DAY, AND THEN NOTE FROM THAT READING. BELOW WILL BE A LINK TO THE CHAPTER FOR EACH DAY, MY NOTES FOR THAT CHAPTER, AND SOME DAYS POETRY THAT HIS WORD INSPIRED ME TO WRITE AS WELL. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL AND STRENGTHENING JOURNEY.
THANKS GOD FOR THE MOMENTS! I LOVE YOU!
Proverbs, Chapter 31 (Click here to read for better understanding of the connection between the scripture and the notes they inspired below.)
Dearest Lord, Here we are this morning finishing this Proverbs Journal. Immediately I am going to miss it. Oh yes a part of me will be glad to not be bound to a schedule (that I’m often trying to catch up with), but my soul that loves to write… to You… about Your love… and on the things You give me in Your Holy and precious word will miss it. Your word is priceless, such a treasure. Just like You!
Proverbs 31 is a whole different chapter for me. Really for You and me. That is the way You’ve made my life. Even without knowing every single word of Your bible, You led me, taught me, and whispered Your loving Holy Ghost into my soul. That’s yet another amazing thing about You. If one doesn’t know You, God, nor Your Son Jesus, nor the Holy Ghost, You are still pursuing to save. Jesus still died for the one He went away to prepare them a room, yet is still just a prayer away to keep His promise to comfort with His peace, and Your Holy Ghost is still praying with moanings and groanings that cannot be uttered, and whispering those words of instruction, guidance, and those tender words of love that lead them to You, and leads them to salvation, that helps find You, Your word, and Your Son. How precious Your faithfulness. Your unconditional love is unmatched , as hard as we may try.
That’s what Proverbs 31 is for me… Lemuel and his mom. Lemuel is a king who is prophesying what his mother taught him… the wise and godly words of a queen that I am amazed about because most kings and queens in the bible were more focused on rule, and their ways. They were even often anti-God. But this queen has a special place in my heart because like me she had a boy who was growing into manhood that she was responsible for in teaching about life, knowing what he would do in the future would effect others, and would determine his own life. Yet she had a heart for You God! I love that about her!
She is the one You gave the words to that became the famous “Virtuous Woman” chapter. The woman the ladies of the church try to copy, to be like, and to worship really. But so often they completely miss the value of Lemuel and his wise mother who loved her son who would be king, and found it incredibly important to teach her son how to deal with people, how to conduct himself, and to find a woman who feared God above all the favor and beauty that even the “idea of a virtuous man” to copy that can deceive a husband, others, and ourselves.
I did not know the bible too well as a single Christian mom of a little boy, not even knowing I was a Christian, yet You brought me verse 30 to guide me! It’s more of that loving relationship that You gave me between You, me, and Anthoni. You used him so much in my life. You used him to bring me out of the ungodly environment and teaching going on around me, and inside me.
You gave me Your own wisdom and leading from just trusting You, believing in You, and of course being afraid of You too. I did not question that fear, but as the world would tell me it was wrong to fear You, believing in You, and of course being afraid of You too. I did not question that fear, but as the world would tell me it was strong to fear You, You started teaching me Your wisdom in Your Holy word which says all over it to fear You is the beginning of knowledge, the beginning of wisdom, and the way to understanding of the Holy Things.
So when I see Lemuel remembering what his mom taught him, my heart is touched. And at the same time, I learn from him and his mother. We have several things we agree on teaching about the warnings of a woman taking the strength of a man if she is not good for him. It will destroy him as a man and as a king, which will destroy his kingdom.
It is not wise to drink, light or heavy alcohol. It can easily pervert his thinking, his judgment, and his testimony. Surprisingly, she tells him to let the poor and dying drink to forget their misery. Only surprising to see even Your word says it. I mean this is the virtuous woman. To me it makes sense. I’ve grown up in it. Yes abused as well. But I’ve watched alcohol be used to medicate, to ease symptoms, to dull pain for the dying and the poor and broken. As long as it’s done in private, to help sleep, or for medical purposes without hurting someone else, it makes complete sense. I mean, why else did You make that vine, God?
You made the vine, and when Jesus turned the water into wine, it was said to be “the good stuff.” The host even talked about the first wine being the wine to make men drunk. Jesus did not rebuke him. He did not put a speech in that part of scripture against “any alcohol.” He even said at the Passover He would not drink from the vine again again until we are all together in heaven. Again being a key word. And it will be drank of in heaven! Alcohol DOES have a proper place. It is just meant to be used wisely. A lot like the tree of knowledge and the tree of life. And really food too. Like a lot of things that are good in moderation, but become bad when misused.
Lemuel also remembers his mom telling him to speak up for those who could not speak. to speak and judge righteously, and to plead the cause of the poor and needy. And then he remembers those now famous words regarding the virtuous woman.
She’s priceless! Invaluable.
Her husband’s heart safely trusts her.
He has no need of spoil.
She does him good and not evil all of her days.
She works willingly with her hands.
She provides food for her table.
Even when it means feeding her family late in the night, or being up all night to provide it.
She makes sure her helpers are even provided for.
She is wise and careful when considering property. She makes sure it will be good for the purpose she is led to buy it, and then is diligent to work it for its purpose.
She girds herself with what she needs to be strong in doing that works, and the work strengthens her inside and out.
She knows when the purpose has brought good and is ready to be sold, used, or provide.
She works and/or uses the purpose into the night, even if working by candlelight (or a lamp light for us).
She uses her strengthened hands to finish and prepare her goods.
She reaches out to the poor and needy.
She is not afraid when snow comes because she has prepared for what her family has need of to keep them warm.
She makes herself tapestry and clothing, out of nice things that will be strong and last.
Her husband is well known when he sits among the elders.
She makes fine things out of her things grown for a purpose and sells it.
Strength and honor become her own clothing, and she shall rejoice when times to rejoice come.
She speaks wisdom with kindness.
She does very well in looking after her household. She is not lazy.
Her children call her a blessing. Her husband sings her praises.
A lot of women do well, but she is clearly seen to excel them.
But be careful of that favor, it can be deceitful.
Her beauty can be her vanity.
It’s her fear of the Lord that she is to be praised for. It will in turn bring Him praise.
Give her the fruit of her work, and let her works praise her among the people.
When they see the woman is known to be wise, strong, hardworking, generous, diligent, and faithfully looking out for her family, and remember also how she does what she does in fear of the Lord, they will see God in her.
When they praise her, they will be praising God.
Her example that leads them to believe she is good, and does good, will help them to see that God is good! And all that He does for us is good.
Proverbs 31 is beautiful because of the relationship between Lemuel and his mom. Even more touching is that this chapter is him prophesying from the memory of the words he recollects his mom teaching him.
Thank You for allowing me to see it, to witness it, and for teaching me along the way to use this as an example in raising Anthoni, the importance of teaching him truth and the value of a Godly woman. For teaching me how important it is to pray for him and her… before and during their marriage. Thank You for teaching me the value of what she will be to my grandchildren. And for lovingly teaching me the value she will be to me! In her presence… in my absence… in her purpose… in her love for You.
You took me from being hard to get along with females to teaching me how to be one, the value of her, and the value of having her in my family, married to my son, raising my grandchildren. I pray for her now. I pray for them both. And I pray for my grandchildren.
I love You, Lord. Thank You for the book of Proverbs. And thank You for being the wisdom for those who have not read You, but love You! Who revere You. Who fear You. You are the definition of understanding. You are the definition of peace. And I am grateful to know You! I love You! No matter what!
Lord, You allowed this chapter of Proverbs 31 to inspire to write the 2 poems below:
A Boy And His Mom’s Wisdom
Virtuous Teaching
A Boy and His Mom’s Wisdom
A boy and his mom.
A king and a queen.
Words of wisdom.
And I get to glean.
Teaching and leading.
A mom loves her son.
Recalling prophecy.
He remembers what’s to be done.
Judgment, discernment.
Needed strength to rule.
Consider the poor and needy.
No need to be cruel.
Righteous and sober.
A testimony to protect.
No time to get drunk.
No time to neglect.
Virtuous and diligent.
A woman of God.
She’s to be praised,
And given the gentleman’s nod.
Favor, beauty.
Beware of passing deceit.
Fear of the Lord
Makes a woman complete.
7.31.2020 Saturday
Written by Gail Brookshire
Inspired by Proverbs 31
Virtuous Teaching
What a joy for a mom in raising her boy,
To give him wisdom and seeds of joy.
To watch his strength gain each day,
And trust that teaching to lead his way.
God is in that teaching because it’s all about Him.
Teach the boy God’s ways, he’s going to need them
Teach him to find the wife with God’s favor.
Her love for Him is what’s to savor.
A man and his wife, and the children they bring.
They will teach them to keep God in everything.
7.31.2020 Saturday
Written by Gail Brookshire
Inspired by Proverbs 31
gaillovesgod 