Daily Devotional Betty Miller shares her daily devotionals which are based on the book of Proverbs in
the Bible.
The Wisdom of God
Verses for the Day:
Thoughts for the Day:
These verses tell us how the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31
is a woman of strength and perseverance because she does the things that are
good and right, that cause her business to prosper.
Verse 17
uses the expression "girdeth her loins" which means to "gird (up) one's loins;"
and according to Webster's Dictionary, this term means "to get ready to do
something difficult or strenuous." Therefore, we know that this woman was
the kind who prepared herself to tackle tough jobs. We all face difficult
situations in life, at times, and if we are to overcome them, we need to be
strong at the onset of them, whether they be physical, mental, or spiritual
trials. How do we strengthen ourselves in the face of life's challenges?
We need to do the things that cause us to be in good health spiritually,
mentally, and physically. Man is a trichotomy and is composed of three
parts (he is a spirit, with a soul, who lives in a body.) The soul is composed
of our mind, emotions and will. Each part affects the other parts, so our
goal should be to remain strong in all three of them.
The spiritual man must be fed spiritual food, which
is gained by feeding (reading and meditating) upon the Word of God, the Bible.
The soul of man is strengthened by study that enlightens the mind (intellect)
and emotions; while our physical man must be strengthened with the right kind of
diet and good exercise. Obviously, one can get "out of balance" in any of
these areas.
With so much emphasis on proper eating and physical
exercise here in America, it has caused many to examine their
lifestyles. Many people have now become imbalanced by putting too much
emphasis on the physical man, while neglecting the spiritual man. The
Lord desires this area also to be in balance, as our physical condition,
if it is not properly cared for, affects our spiritual condition. The
spiritual man should always be given top priority, as its influence over
the physical man is greater than the physical man's influence over it.
1 Timothy 4:8: For bodily exercise profiteth
little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of
the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
We need the proper balance between neglecting our
bodies, and giving them too much attention. One of the greatest sins in
the United States is gluttony. Food has become the god of millions.
Jesus has never been made "Lord of the Fork." The Word of God has much
to say about man's eating habits. Many sicknesses that are plaguing
mankind stem directly from unhealthy eating habits. How should
Christians eat? Are all the so-called health foods the answer to our
diet problem? The Word of God has the answer to our questions, as to what
is healthy for us to eat. So many have been eating according to the
tradition of men instead of seeing what God's Word says about this
subject. If we do not eat by the Word of God, our eating habits will be
dictated by the patterns of the country in which we were born and by our
upbringing.
True strength comes by taking care of every area of
our lives; then when we face trials, we are able to overcome because we
are strong physically, as well as being strong in the Lord and the power
of His might.
Verse 18 says the virtuous woman examines her
merchandise to make sure it is good and she also is one who does what it
takes to make sure her work is good and acceptable. Physically, it
may, at times, take extra hours and "burning the candle" at night to
complete a particular job and see that something is finished.
Spiritually, her candle will not go out when her night of trouble,
sorrow, fear, doubt, etc., come to try and stop her. She prevails
because she is spiritually, mentally and physically strong.
Prayer for the Day:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for all the good things You have given us. I am thankful to have work
to do. Lord, may I always do excellent work at my job. Lord, give me the grace
to take care of my physical body properly in the way I eat and how I exercise.
Teach me how to make healthy choices regarding my food ,so that my body is
healthy, as I need strength to do the things at my job, and in my home, and most
of all, in the kingdom of God. Dear Lord, may I also keep my spirit man
strong by reading the Word of God daily, and spending the necessary time in
prayer to commune with You, as I desire to be like the virtuous woman in
Proverbs 31. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
