Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Epilogue: the wife of noble character
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:29 ‘Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.’30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.31 Honour her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Happy mother’s day everyone!
We celebrate today mothers and mother-figures in our lives and thank God for them.
In Chapter 31 of Proverbs, an extraordinary woman is described. She works extremely hard, and looks after others. At the end of the long list of all the things she does comes the verses above.
Lord God, we thank you for the women in our lives who have been good mothers to us. We thank you for all those who have loved you and loved us too.
We thank you that Jesus even descried himself like a ‘mother-hen’, help us to be like him. Protective, caring, wise, selfless, strong, willing to give up our lives for the sake of others.
Amen.
Offer to God your own:
Bless one another as you finish – for example ‘I bless you now, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirt.
Amen.