SHE 31 - Woman Of Valourনমুনা

“Charm is deceptive and does not last: but a woman that fears the Lord will be greatly praised.”

There is no doubt that the Proverbs 31 woman is an incredibly strong woman with an exceptional character. Where does this strength and character come from? I believe that the key to this woman’s character may well lie in her fear of the Lord. Take a moment to consider what you understand fearing God to be.

Consider: To fear the Lord or not to fear the Lord, that is the question.

Let’s stop for a minute to think what the fearing God actually means. We hear it mentioned in scripture, in preaches and in songs, but have we ever stopped to consider what it truly means to fear God? The Bible mentions the fear of God over 300 times and scripture is full of examples of how fearing God is a positive and not a negative thing (despite the word fear being something that we normally associate with something bad). 

To fear God is to honor, revere and love Him. Our fear of God leads to us valuing His Words and His promises too. Fearing God saves us from giving in to our own sinful nature.

Context: Why bother?

So why bother fearing the Lord? Do you even need to fear Him? When we fear God we are acknowledging that He is Lord of our lives - which means that He is the our master and speaks powerfully of our relationship with Jesus. 

Philippians 4 v 13 tells us that Jesus is our ultimate strength: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And Isaiah 40 v 31 shows us that we find new strength when we trust in Him: “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

I don’t know about you, but to me, the Proverbs 31 woman sure sounds like she has the strength that’s described in those two passages. This woman who fears God gets her strength from the ultimate source - the Lord himself. 

Over to you: Ask yourself…..

• Do you fear God? Why?
• What has stuck out most to you in today’s devotional?
• What one next step can you take in your walk with Jesus based on today’s content?