You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.

Song of Songs 1-8

You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you. Song of Songs 4:7

Day 145 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with a study of Solomon's contributions to scripture as I move into the Song of Solomon or the Song of Songs.  My commentary* indicates "[u]nlike most of the preceding literature, the “Song of Songs” deals more with love than with wisdom, prayer, or praise" and that "it is a beautiful and striking statement about human love. It suggests that all life, including human sexuality, is holy because God has created it."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

Building on my posts from Wednesday and Thursday of this week, I once again find myself treasuring Lisa as my wife, friend and partner for 22 years.  Thank You God for the blessing of Lisa.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has blessed me with Lisa and I am deeply grateful.  I am undeserving not just of Lisa but also all the ways You bless me.  I continue in my worry - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

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.

Various Proverbs

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. Proverbs 31:10-11

Day 143 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues with a study of the Proverbs - primarily of Solomon, but including the Proverbs of other authors as well. This morning my focus includes proverbs that cover various observations (joy and grief, good news, and curiosity), and sayings of Agur and King Lemuel.

This morning my focus once again is on Lisa.  I am blessed to have a wife who truly is worth far more than rubies - I lack nothing of value.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who blesses me with Lisa, Zach and Dustin and so much more.  My cup overflows.  I am not deserving for how You bless me.  I sin...daily and often, including my sin of discouraging words that I use to tear others down.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31

Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. v31

No doubt I have a noble wife as described by Solomon in Proverbs 31.  

I must honor Lisa as I am commanded to in Ephesians:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. Ephesians 5:25-30

My Prayer: Jesus, You are a great God and You have blessed me with a wife of noble character.  I am blessed beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a blessing because I am broken and my sin persists.  I am often not at peace with others - even this morning!  Please forgive me and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind.  Help me love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself strength and wisdom.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help me point Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, the church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Proverbs 5

May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. v18

Solomon warns husbands to avoid the lure of adulterous women.  He expands on the treasure of wives in both Proverbs 18 and 31.

The New Living Translation is particularly helpful to emphasize the treasure wives are to their husbands: 

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord. Proverbs 18:22 

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Proverbs 31:10

The remaining verses in Proverbs 31 are devoted to the treasure of a virtuous and capable wife:

Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like a merchant’s ship, bringing her food from afar.  She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.  She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard.  She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.  She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.

 
She has no fear of winter for her household, for everyone has warm clothes.She makes her own bedspreads. She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.  Her husband is well known at the city gates where he sits with the other civic leaders.  She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.  She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her.  Her husband praises her:“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world but you surpass them all!”Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise. Proverbs 31:11-31

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God and You have blessed me with a wife that is TRULY a blessing and a treasure!  Thank You Jesus for Lisa.  What a great blessing and great God You are.  I am not worth such blessing...I often am not the husband You desire for me.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.

Ephesians 5 

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. v25-28

Right now, it is as important as ever for me to love Lisa and for her to feel loved...by me, and more importantly by Christ. Paul encourages me to do so by using scriptures (as a way to lay down my life for her) and to view her as holy and blameless.  This may seem difficult at times but "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)".

My Prayer: Lord, You are the only one who is truly pure, holy and blameless.  You are the one true God and You are my Lord and Savior.  I desperately need You in my life...to forgive me, for mercy, for guidance, for strength, for comfort, etc.  Thank You that You provide all of this and more.  I am not worth what You do for me as I am weak, lazy, and selfish.  Forgive me and help me both overcome and turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of this cancer.  Help me serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me love Lisa as Christ loves the church.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.