Life's Daily Challenge Devotional

She is exalted

“Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates," Proverbs 31:28-31.

Precious one of God,

The bride of Christ does not exalt herself. In fact, she is willing to take the last seat at the table. She is more concerned with being a servant than she is about honor or position. She loves her Lord with all her heart, mind, soul, and strength. She loves others as she loves herself. She knows that self indulgence and glorification are deceptively intoxicating. She avoids this kind of “wine” because she knows that it will make her err in judgment toward the poor and oppressed. She would easily miss the needs of others if she pre-occupied herself with such things. In missing others she would also miss her Lord.

The bride does have honor however... the best possible kind of honor. Her children rise up and call her blessed. At times her works are so self abasing that others criticize her and think that she is crazy. She listens to a voice they cannot hear. She sees things they cannot see. She clings to the cross and refuses to take a higher seat for herself. She believes in her Husband’s love for her, and knows that in time He will call her to the head of the table in front of all of the others. She clings to the words of her Lord that, “...Wisdom is vindicated by her children.” She waits for the praise of her Husband, and when the time is right, will receive it. She knows that it is worth every moment of the wait. She knows that all of her goodness has come from Him and that all of her achievements are crowns to be cast at His feet. She gives Him pre-imminence and lives to use her influence, honor and position only to draw attention to Him. She is like a glorious sign that points to the validity of her Christ. She has excelled all of the other daughters who have given in to the temptation to make a name for themselves. They settle for charm and beauty and are more concerned with outward appearance than with inner beauty.

The bride waits on the Lord. She refuses to bless herself and waits for every good and perfect gift to come down from God. She fully believes that if she crucifies her flesh on Calvary’s cross that He will resurrect her to honor and power. She refuses all other promotion and waits for her day of honor. Her own works and the fruit of her own hands will praise her in the gates.