[0:00] Take your Bibles again and turn to Proverbs 31.!
[0:30] She is a wife of noble character. Who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
[0:47] She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark. She provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
[1:06] She considers a field and buys it. Out of her earnings, she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously. Her arms are strong for her task. She sees that her trading is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night.
[1:28] In her hand, she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household, for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
[1:49] She makes coverings for her bed. She is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them and supplies the merchants with sashes.
[2:12] She is clothed with strength and dignity. She is clothed with strength and dignity. She can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
[2:27] She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her. Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.
[2:50] Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
[3:10] Charm is deceptive and grace.
[3:40] Charm is deceptive and grace.
[4:11] They make the lunch. They make the lunch. They serve the lunch. They work all day. They're always on call. And such are deserving of esteem and encouragement and praise and thanksgiving to God.
[4:27] And then lastly, though they are deserving of praise, this world is not giving them praise. Men in the world are not even sure they can define what a mother is.
[4:39] The woman praised by the woman is someone who is intentionally without children. So not even a mother who gets in to be without children because that would get in the way of her own career, in the way of traveling the world, in the way of her love of ease and things, since kids are so expensive, both in terms of time and money.
[5:09] And so for these reasons, and we could mention many more, we're taking the time out from our study of the gospel of Mark to preach on mothers. And I trust it will be an encouragement to us all.
[5:26] Without a doubt, without a doubt, the most famous painting of a woman is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Every year, millions flock to the Louvre Museum just to gaze at her.
[5:40] You may not or may be impressed with her. But whatever you think of her, here in Proverbs 31, we have a portrait by the Holy Spirit of a godly woman that is truly impressive.
[5:59] The longer you look at her, the more you're struck with every feature. And what we're given is more like a photo album of six pages with pictures on each page that make up the overall portrait of this woman.
[6:17] And it's sad that more people are not flocking to their Bibles to get a good look at her here in Proverbs chapter 31. That more mothers are not studying and emulating her example.
[6:28] And that more young ladies are not taking their cues from her instead of from some rock star or Hollywood actress or model.
[6:41] Single young men, here's the kind of woman you want to be on the lookout for. This is the kind of woman you want to marry. The kind of woman you want to spend the rest of your life with.
[6:54] Get a good look at her. Become familiar with her. And then focus on becoming that kind of man that would attract that kind of godly woman to her.
[7:09] So on this Mother's Day, we're turning to Proverbs 31 to meet this wife of noble character, the virtuous woman who is also a marvelous mother. I believe she was a real historical woman.
[7:24] She really lived. Had a real husband. Real children. Servant girls even. A vineyard. A sewing machine of sorts. And a good reputation with others.
[7:36] Nevertheless, we don't know who she was. We're not given her name. The Holy Spirit doesn't bother to tell us that. Because the important thing is not who she was, but what she was.
[7:48] Because it is her noble character. Her virtues, her excellencies that are held before us. Ladies, these are the things you're to study and imitate.
[7:59] And men, these are the things you're to encourage and praise in your wife and in your children. And we're told right up front that she's a rare find.
[8:10] Verse 10. A wife of noble character. Who can find? Not many women like this. And if she was rare 3,000 years ago, she's all the more rare in our day.
[8:24] Young men, that means you might have to look a while. You might have to wait a while. They're worth waiting on.
[8:36] One writer said, if more young men were looking for this kind of women, there'd be more of them to find. Supply side economics, I think. That might be, but because the Bible does say a faithful man who can find.
[8:51] And so who can find a faithful man who's looking for a faithful wife like this? They're both rare. And we're also told that she's as precious as she is rare.
[9:03] And indeed, rare things are often expensive, valuable things. That's certainly true of this woman. She's worth far more than rubies, above any price you might place upon her.
[9:17] Just recently, we heard of a single young man down in Africa. And the price on the woman that he has his eyes on is 70 head of cattle for a dowry. Whatever price you put on this woman, it's not enough.
[9:32] No earthly treasure compares to her. Men, if you've got a woman like this, whatever else you may not have, you are rich. And you need to tell your wife that having her has made you a rich man indeed.
[9:48] So we open up the photo album. And the first snapshots that we see on the first page are all with her husband. Verse 11, her husband.
[10:01] Verse 23, her husband. Verse 28, her husband. He's the greatest recipient of her virtues. The one profiting the most from her.
[10:11] And so this opening virtue, the opening virtue of this mother is that she's a faithful wife. That's first off. A faithful wife. Verse 11 and 12, her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
[10:26] She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. So she's a source of rich blessing. Others bring him harm, not her.
[10:39] Her daily pursuit is how can I bring him good today? How can I enrich him, help him, serve him? How can I make his life better?
[10:52] She knows what he likes. She studies his needs. She thinks what's best for him. And then she does it. Not occasionally, but all the days of her life.
[11:04] So this is a woman who embraces her divine calling in life. She was called to be the helper of the man. She knows she was made for this.
[11:15] She's read Genesis 2.18. It's not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. A helper that matches his needs.
[11:25] That makes him better than he is without me. And this Proverbs 31 woman has gladly embraced that God-given assignment.
[11:37] She counts it a good day when she's been enabled to help and serve her husband. That's what she's about. She knows that she makes the greatest contribution to society and to the kingdom of God by helping her husband.
[11:56] Bringing up children. Watching over the affairs of her household. She does this world inestimable good. And she goes about it all with such skill and faithfulness that he has full confidence in her.
[12:12] Not just confidence in her. Full confidence in her. He knows each day as he goes off to work that she won't be lying around the house doing nothing. She won't be out catting around with frivolous spending sprees.
[12:25] Neglecting the kids and work. No. He can trust her. To see to it that all is tended to at home.
[12:37] She'll tend to the children. The cooking, the cleaning, the buying and doing. All of it with such faithfulness that he doesn't have to micromanage her. He can leave her to that task of being his helper.
[12:51] And without having to waste any worrisome thoughts about anything back home. As he's gone off to job. And it's that freedom from the cares of home that enables him to excel in his work.
[13:07] Because he can safely trust the day by day operations of the household into her hands. So he's not a man with a divided mind at work. He can throw himself fully into his task.
[13:19] Because he's sure his wife has home base covered well with the children. Verse 23. Her husband is respected at the city gate where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
[13:32] Now this isn't just thrown in there as a useless piece of trivia. No, it all relates to this woman. That her husband is an important person at the city gate.
[13:43] That's a place of honor among the elders of the land. And though it is speaking about her husband, it's still pointing out her noble character. He's a respected leader in the land and that is due in no small part because of her.
[13:59] Without her, he'd be half the man he is. He's far better off because of her. He is what he is because she is what she is. Her life is such that she brings respect and honor to him.
[14:14] That's your wife? Wow. That's the way that he is treated in the city gate. Those who know her or hear of her think more highly of him because of her.
[14:28] Her work with his children at home, her presence in the community wins him great respect. Happy the man who has such a woman for his wife.
[14:42] She's the choicest of all earthly gifts. He knows it. He knows how much he owes under God to her noble character and so he praises her.
[14:54] Men, does your wife know it? Does your wife know how valuable she is to you? You must tell her. And tell her often because she denies herself often for the family and needs to be encouraged.
[15:11] And we shouldn't try to be more spiritual than the Bible with our praise. Oh, but if I tell her too much, she might get proud. You know, the Bible is not at all sheepish about giving praise to whom it's due.
[15:24] In fact, we're commanded to not withhold it from those to whom it's due. We owe it like a debt. Shame on us if we rob her of the praise that she has earned.
[15:40] Now, there is a way to praise people that's honoring to God and we ought to be doing it. It is our duty and it encourages her. In fact, the last four verses of this chapter are all about the praise she receives.
[15:57] Verse 28 to 31. Her children arise and call her blessed. Her husband also, and he praises her. And this is what he says. Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.
[16:10] You say, oh, that's hyperbole. That's exaggeration. No, that's what he says to her. In his eyes, that is reality.
[16:22] And it's not wrong to tell her that that's the way you feel about it, man. And then the Holy Spirit goes on saying, charm is deceptive, beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be what?
[16:37] Praised. She is to be praised. She must be praised. Praise her, man. Give her the reward she has earned and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
[16:49] Why let her be praised at the city gate? Because that's where you work, you see. That was the working place of her husband. He would go each day to the city gate. And so you are to praise her at your place of occupation, that place where so many men are bad-mouthing their wives.
[17:07] There you go. And you can't say enough good things about your wife. You see something of the fruit of the gospel. The beauties that are those who are in Christ will be declared to all at the city gate.
[17:20] So she gets praise from her children, from her husband. And when those closest to her are the loudest to sing her praises, you know that she's worthy of it.
[17:31] Those the world praises are often those that the family can hardly stand to live with. But leading the praises for this woman are those who know her best, who live with her day in and day out.
[17:48] Her husband and her children, they praise her. So there's both praise to be given to her, you surpass them all. And then there's praise to be given about her, telling others of the wonderful gift that God has given you.
[18:06] So this is interesting. The first page that we see of this woman, it's a page with her being a faithful wife to her husband. And moms know this.
[18:18] It's not only your husband who benefits from you being a faithful wife. It is your children. As you love their father, you are providing a secure environment in which your children can flourish and thrive.
[18:35] How many children go to bed wondering if mom and dad will make it through another week? Not this woman's children. They see mom loving dad, serving him, faithful to him.
[18:49] And hear their father praising her. Well, that's the first thing. This mother is a faithful wife to her husband. Secondly, her household is her non-negotiable priority.
[19:03] Her household, her family, is her non-negotiable priority. And in these photos on this second page, we see her in her home a lot. Verse 27, she watches over the affairs of her household.
[19:18] That's her husband and children. No success elsewhere can make up for her failures here. Her family is her number one concern.
[19:30] And it's never something to be sacrificed for other interests or other convenience. All her outside business and ministry is carried on in a way that her family does not suffer.
[19:44] And we'll see. She gets outside of the home, but not at the expense of her family. And so she is, as Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 2.5, that wives are to be busy at home.
[19:56] She's busy at home. We see her there. She will get outside the home, but this is her base of operations, and it is her non-negotiable priority.
[20:06] So there's nothing stifling to this woman about being a home mother, a homemaker. She finds plenty of room in this role for her many skills and abilities and knowledge and wisdom.
[20:22] To watch her is to realize that she's in her element here at home. Her main contribution comes by selfishly pouring herself out in service to her family, and then through them, her influence reaches far and wide.
[20:39] Her work of mothering is no backburner issue or sideline pursuit. She throws herself into it day after day with consistent discipline and instruction of her children.
[20:54] She's had to lay aside the things that she was doing three times now to discipline an erring son, and it's not even noon yet because she believes the Word of God is true, that foolishness will be driven out of her son as she disciplines him faithfully.
[21:15] She's instructing them in the Word of God, even as grandmother and mother instructed Timothy from infancy. He was taught the Holy Scriptures that were able to make him wise for salvation.
[21:29] Through faith in Jesus Christ, she's a woman of the Word, and she's pouring it into her children, and then she's watering it all. Her discipline, her instruction, is watered by prayer as she lays them before the Lord.
[21:45] She views her children as arrows that are to be polished, sharpened, and then shot out into the world for the good of the nation, for the good of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
[22:01] And it's this task that she continually dies to self-interest in order to serve them as every day they find themselves enriched by her. Happy the children who can call this woman mother.
[22:14] No wonder they rise up and call her blessed. Well, we flip the next page, the third page, and we see her at work.
[22:26] All kinds of pictures here of this woman at work. And so we're looking at her work ethic. To say she's a hard worker is putting it lightly. By far the most words in Proverbs 31 about this woman underscore this trait about her.
[22:42] Her work habits. It's even more impressive if indeed as it looks, she was a woman of some position in society whose husband is a leader and she's got servants to manage and money to invest.
[22:59] And often what we find is that the more money people have, the softer they become, the less they want to work. They don't want to come near any manual labor lest they damage their nails or break a sweat and melt their makeup or mess their hairdo.
[23:15] Not this woman. She dives right into whatever needs to be done. Indeed, I'll bet she could outwork many a man as we read of her. Verse 27 says, in watching over the affairs of her household, she does not eat the bread of idleness.
[23:33] She's fighting a personal war against idleness. Matthew Henry says, when we have nothing to do, the devil will soon find something for us to do. Well, this woman doesn't have that problem.
[23:47] She's far from idle. We notice her sewing. Verse 13, she selects wood and flax and works with eager hands. Verse 19, in her hands she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers, making clothing for all her household, herself included, coverings for her bed.
[24:08] Verses 21 and 22. And if that were not enough, verse 24 says, she makes linen garments and sells them and supplies the merchants with sashes. She's got this business going on the side.
[24:23] That's her sewing. And then we see her hard work in her food preparation. This is all before microwaves and refrigerators and freezers and processed foods and grocery stores.
[24:36] Food preparation was much more time consuming. Verse 14, she's like the merchant ships bringing her food from afar. Off to market.
[24:47] Now into her garden. Back into the home. She brings her food like busy squirrel coming and going for her family. Verse 15, she gets up while it's still dark.
[24:58] She provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She's not watching movies into the wee hours of the night and then waking up at 12 noon.
[25:09] No, she's up early to provide food for her family and to have it ready for the servant girls. Denying herself sleep so that when the family gets up their food will be ready.
[25:21] Verse 18 says, and her lamp does not go out at night. So she's burning it on both ends. And you mothers know what that's about. Especially when there's a sick one.
[25:34] She knows how to extend her work into the end of her day. Verse 16 says, she plants a vineyard. And in all this work, verse 17, she sets about her work vigorously.
[25:48] Her arms are strong for her task. Not because she goes to the gym three times a week and does Pilates or pumps iron, but simply the tasks that she undertakes have given her strength.
[26:03] Now, there's nothing wrong with going to the gym or doing Pilates or push-ups in the morning. Anything to make you healthy and strong to serve. But I believe this woman is doing it, gaining her strength because, I mean, just look at the stuff that we've just seen that she does every day.
[26:19] And so her arms are strong for her tasks. Verse 13 says, she works with eager hands. She's no sluggard or slacker. Work is nothing to be avoided.
[26:31] It's something she dives into eagerly. What a blessing to have children growing up beside this working woman at home.
[26:44] Learning the value of hard work with mom. Our father took this seriously and rented a half an acre the other side of town.
[26:59] He would load us up in the van or into the station wagon with mom who grew up on the farm and send us to the other side of the city to be taught to work.
[27:11] And we worked as we saw mom work. And we learned to work whether or not we felt like it. We learned to work before play.
[27:23] We learned to work with all of our heart to not dawdle at our work. And we learned to work well. Many times we were repicking the row of beans that we thought we had picked because we had not done them well.
[27:38] And so we learned good habits of work that put us in good position for the world that we live in.
[27:49] Any child growing up and learning to work from this kind of mother is given a huge advantage in the world. Most in the world most young people sadly are allergic to work.
[28:04] Hard work anyway. Good workers are hard to find. Every sphere of labor I'm hearing this. It's hard to find a faithful man a hard working woman. But those who know the value of work will rise to the top.
[28:19] A blessing often given as children watch their mother work and learn from her as she gives them chores. And then she works with wisdom.
[28:31] She's not only working hard she's working wise. She's not working stupid. She's working wise. Verse 18 says she sees that her trading is profitable.
[28:44] She's not just working just to work. She's seeking a profit. There's nothing wrong with a profit. It's listed here as one of her virtues. She's financially wise. A shrewd buyer and seller.
[28:55] Buying raw materials selling finished products. And then reinvesting her earnings. She gets the most out of each dollar. Verse 16 she considers a field and buys it and out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
[29:10] This too displays her noble character. her work life. And then we see her foresight in work. Verse 21 when it snows she's no fear of her household for her household for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
[29:26] Verse 25 she can laugh at days to come. Why can she laugh about the future? Because while she's working she's thinking. And she's thinking about the future.
[29:38] She's thinking ahead. Kids grow. Those coats that fit them last year won't fit them next year. So she's on it. She's after it. She's making new coats for the kids.
[29:50] So she doesn't need to worry when the snow starts to fall. And suddenly to be caught unprepared. She works with foresight so she can laugh at days to come without fear.
[30:05] How many mothers are harassed by fears and demands that are the result of lack of foresight on their part? Their kids grow just like every other kids grow. They know they're going to need new shoes new this new that and clothing but often they're caught unprepared because they're not planning ahead.
[30:22] This woman is planning ahead. Ants lay up food in summer and so does this virtuous woman. She works with foresight and as she does so she's doing good to her husband and children all the days of her life.
[30:41] And yet though this woman is a hard worker with strong arms there's an elegance about her. Verse 25 she's clothed with strength and dignity.
[30:56] Though she's strong she's dignified. Strong but not brutish. Strong but not boorish. Strong but not crass or manly.
[31:08] Truly strong yet ladylike. Wow what a what a combination. She's elegantly dressed.
[31:20] Verse 22 she's clothed in fine linen and purple. Not of course when she's working in the garden but she knows what's appropriate for each place. What a blend to find in one woman.
[31:32] strength and dignity. So those are the pictures we have of her as she works with all of her heart as unto the Lord and that for the good of her family.
[31:47] Number four on this page we see pictures of her with her hands extended to others. This is her outflowing charity. Her beneficiaries go well beyond her family.
[32:01] Others too are enriched by her. She does not do this to the neglect of her family but in addition to them. She's not just about her own. Rather verse 20 says she opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
[32:18] she's a true friend in need. Her God is like this. He is a refuge for the poor a refuge for the needy in his distress a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.
[32:31] And so she shares God's heart for the poor and needy. For if the truth were known she too was very poor and needy spiritually and God stooped to help her in her plight and to make her rich by his grace.
[32:51] And so her arms are open to the poor. She welcomes them. She embraces them in their need. Her hands are extended to them to help and give them food, clothing, a helping hand.
[33:02] She's busy but not too busy for poor and needy people. She works with her own hands that she might have something to give to others. Ephesians 4.28 So that's how she views her money and her profits.
[33:18] Not all to be spent on herself and her family but ever looking for fitting objects for her charity. Scripture is too outspoken on this matter.
[33:28] There can be no virtuous life where the poor and needy are ignored. She adorns herself with good deeds appropriate for women professing godliness.
[33:40] 1 Timothy 2.10 And so she beautifies herself by these deeds of charity to those in need. Something of the very beauty of Christ attaches to her in that outflowing charity like the Savior, her Savior, who though he was rich yet for her sake became poor that she through his poverty might become rich and she seeks to enrich others.
[34:06] Happy the poor and needy who cross her path. They will find in her a true friend in need. And then the next page, page five of the picture album, are pictures of her talking, her speech.
[34:22] It's at this point that many women stumble, their use of their tongues. But this woman is different. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks and when she opens her mouth, what she is comes out.
[34:35] And what she is is wise. So out of her mouth come wise words and faithful instruction. Verse 26, she speaks with wisdom. And the law of kindness is on her tongue.
[34:53] She's no busy body gossip, running around. No, this woman is something to watch in action as she works, but she's even more impressive to listen to when she speaks.
[35:06] For the depth of her character is further seen when she opens her mouth. She's learned through wisdom for life. She's been made wise by the wisdom of God in Scripture.
[35:17] And when she opens her mouth and speaks, her words are weighed. They're full of wisdom and kindness. Listen to her speaking to her husband and notice the tone of respect in her voice.
[35:35] Listen to her dealing with her children, rebuking, correcting, encouraging with kindness. Listen to her speaking to her servants, those who in the social strata are are beneath them.
[35:52] Yet she does not demean them. She's not yelling at them, berating, but instructing with kindness. The law of kindness is on her lips. Always a kind word for the neighbors, for the shopkeepers, the poor and needy, the family, the friends.
[36:09] She's able to speak a word in season to all she meets, dispensing truth and kindness, so that all within earshot of her are blessed, none more than her husband and her children.
[36:21] How much of this being a faithful wife and mother has to do with the use of your tongue? Indeed, that's a rare find in any man or woman. Wouldn't it be great if every time you opened your mouth in the context of the home, what pops out would be wise and kind words?
[36:42] How does that happen? By meditating upon the wise and kind words of our God in the gospel. For the law of the Lord is our prayerful meditation.
[36:56] We'll have an instructed tongue full of wisdom and grace speaking with the law of kindness. Happy are all who hear her. But now we turn the page and we find that the best was saved for last.
[37:11] Here we have a snapshot of her heart. Looking behind and beneath the outward appearance, we peer right into her heart and we see sixly her fear of God.
[37:24] Verse 30, charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Now this last virtue is more than just one of many characteristics of this virtuous woman.
[37:38] It is the reason for all her other virtues. It is the cause and source of them. It's the wellspring of all that she is and does. The fountain of all her streams, that which above all else makes her such a blessing to her family.
[37:54] She's a woman who fears the Lord. And that means she thinks about the Lord. And she thinks about the Lord a lot. And when she thinks about the Lord, it's big thoughts about the Lord.
[38:07] She sees Him for who He is and holds Him in highest regard. There's none to compare with Him. She's in awe of Him. She's struck with a profound reverence for Him.
[38:18] His authority, His holiness, His justice, His power are awesome to her. And so is His love and goodness and mercy and grace.
[38:30] Everything about Him stirs wonder in her heart. She knows the Lord. She walks with Him. She talks with Him throughout the day. Her relationship with Him is central to who she is.
[38:42] And it affects all that she does and says. He's the center of her least endeavor. He is her best thought by day or by night. She loves Him.
[38:54] Oh sure, she loves her husband and loves her children. But she loves her Lord far more. And this makes His commandments her happy choice.
[39:05] She's a woman who fears the Lord. The conscious awareness that she lives in the presence of the Lord. She is moving moment by moment to the judgment of the Lord.
[39:19] And that nothing matters more to her than pleasing the Lord. She lives ultimately for the audience of one. It's His praise she seeks. His smile, her chief delight.
[39:31] His frown, her chief dread. Her most important consideration is ever what does the Lord want? What does He say? What does He command? And so this is the most important thing about this mother.
[39:45] If there's any secret to the whole of her life, it's right here at the end. She fears the Lord. That means you'll never understand this woman until you come to grips with this. She's a God-fearing woman.
[40:01] And is this not seen over and over in our experiences? Those who fear the Lord make the best mothers.
[40:15] Is it not true of some of the mothers that we have had and some of you still have? Why is she so faithful to her husband? Because the Lord's been faithful to her and wants her to be such.
[40:29] Why she humbly serves her family so self-sacrificially? Because her Lord stooped to serve her in her greatest need at the cost of his own life.
[40:41] Why she doesn't neglect the priority of her family? Because the Lord has assigned it to her and he did not neglect his heavenly father's assignment to come to earth and to save her.
[40:53] Why she works so hard? Because the Lord did all the work for her salvation. Why she opens her arms to the poor and needy? Because when she was poor and needy the Lord opened his arms to take the hellish cross in her place.
[41:07] She, out of gratitude, will serve others for Jesus' sake. Why she speaks with wisdom and with the law of kindness on her lips because the Lord is listening to every word I say, every careless word.
[41:25] He has opened his mouth and spoken such kindness in the gospel to me. If you've had such a mother, if you have such a mother, thank the Lord for her.
[41:40] Only Jesus can make a mother like that. He makes the best of mothers. thank him and praise her. And let me say this, some of you work hard at being mothers.
[41:57] Some of you have worked hard. Now you're resting, they're gone. But you're still speaking to them, aren't you? You're never done mothering on your knees, on the phone, one way or another.
[42:11] But no mother ever made it to heaven because she was a good mother. No, every mother that ever makes it to heaven must come and say, I have nothing to offer, Lord.
[42:24] Have mercy on me, a sinner. For Jesus' sake, save me. And those he is ever willing to save. That's why he came. And if you come to know him as Savior, be prepared for a wild ride of growing as a mother into the very things that we have seen here.
[42:45] because that's what he does. He transforms us, makes us new creatures. All things become new. That means mothering becomes new. Wifing becomes new.
[42:56] Charity to others becomes new. Working becomes new. All things become new in Jesus Christ. And so you get to spend the rest of your days mothering in communion with and being strengthened by the Lord Jesus.
[43:15] He welcomes you to him. Let's pray. Holy Spirit, we thank you for this portrait of a godly, God-fearing woman, wife and mother.
[43:33] God-fearing woman, and what a blessing she was to those that met her and that lived with her. And we thank you, Lord, that we have seen this same portrait painted in the lives of many of our mothers.
[43:50] And we have not chosen them, you chose them for us. So we bow in thankfulness and gratitude for giving them to us. us. And we do pray that you would encourage every mother that's still hard at work, that they would do it as unto you and find your smile to be their chief reward.
[44:12] And you would give them much wisdom as they are bringing up children and needing to counsel them in your ways. So help our mothers, we pray.
[44:24] And even help those older mothers who have their children out of the house to draw near to the younger ones and to be encouragements to them. And help us as well to be encouragements as sons and daughters to praise our mothers, as husbands to praise the wife.
[44:45] So take this word and add your blessing to it in whatever ways it needs to be applied. We thank you for mothers in Jesus' name. Amen.