She Opens, She Reaches

Proverbs 31:20 (AMP)

She opens her hand to the poor, yes, 

she reaches out her filled hands to the needy 

[whether in body, mind, or spirit].

We've already met three times this month, and have only two Tuesdays stretched out in front of us this July.  SLOW. DOWN. SUMMER. Why, oh why, does it go by so fast?

Let's linger and look back.  Our first week together we delighted in being utterly filled.  Jesus' miracle   at the wedding in Cana reminds us that he fills to the brim--and always with His very best. His abundance washes over us, redeeming love spilling over and streams of  Living Water surge forth. 

Our second week together we basked in the fullness of his love. Do you have a dog? Does he find that sliver of warm sunshine and collapse in all its glory? Mine too. That was us last week.  Rolling around in how long and high and wide and deep his love is for us. We worshipped him for it, and rejoiced as children of God. And then we caught a glimpse of the leper--of Jesus' love and healing work in us, and the transforming power of His grace, we were reminded to lift up our humble assurance--and obey.

Is your tank being filled?  The Holy Spirit is filling mine, and I continue to pray we will all know what it is to be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Let's keep praying this for one another!

This week, we are shifting gears. We've been poured into for weeks, and now we'll start pouring forth into others.  Remember the virtuous woman? She extends her filled hands to the needy.

As we lean into Jesus to fill us, let's pour forth all that He gives.

To. Our. Husbands.

Girls, come on, you can't be surprised by this? We're talking poor and needy here.  We've all seen our husbands emotionally bankrupt. They need us to fill them.  For most of us, our husbands are the family's primary provider.  They carry boulder-sized burdens we can't imagine.  The stress pulls down hard and turns dark hair grey. They ache when they rise, and are depleted when they return home. Let's fill them.

In verse 20, the Virtuous Woman does two things: she opens and she reaches. As we focus on our husbands this morning, let's ask God to open us and help us reach out. For some of us, it's a cake walk.  Our marriages are sailing along, and open is where it's at.  For others of us, opening can be really tough. We've been wounded, ignored, dismissed, undervalued, and depleted. God redeems. Beloved, He can heal.  So open anyway.  You don't have to open to your husband if it's too hard--be open to the Holy Spirit.  Let Him do the work in, through, and for you! Now reach.  Regardless of how we feel, let's reach.  Let's sacrifice.  Let's give. Let's put out.  KIDDING! (Well, sort of. It does say in "body, mind or spirit" after all). Let's pour into our husbands however the Spirit leads.

Today, we will open and reach. Let's see what the Lord does through us. Living Water, sisters, streams of Living Water pour forth!