This morning I heard an excellent sermon about the office of widow, taken from I Timothy 5:9-16. One cannot enter the office of widow in the church unless she has been faithful in the earlier years of her life. She must be "well reported of good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has received the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work". Her life must be a reflection of Christ working in & through her as she ministers to those around her.
Right now, I am in the stage of investing in people as I'm sure most of you are. I'd like to share with you an excerpt of the sermon notes that, hopefully, will encourage you as much as it did me.
Now if a lifetime of marital faithfulness (described above) was required in order to bring a woman onto the rolls of the church, then this sets the general pattern for ALL of us as we prepare for possible spearation from a spouse by death. This is the example with regarad to character, whether or not a particular choice is then made. So here is the principle: You go where you went. You reap what you sow. What you invest in matters.
What you and I are doing right now does matter. We will reap what we have sown during these years. We will go in the future, based on where we are going now. The present determines the future.
The woman described here is one who invested in people. And this is what it means to prepare the best preparation for godly responses in the future to varying circumstances would be godly responses in the present. Those godly responses include a life of faithful lovemaking, diligence in good works, cheerfulness in the midst of diapers, runny noses and spankings, hospitality to others, and works of mercy to the afflicted. Give and it will be given. Mercy to the afflicted is the best wa to prepare for the day of your affliction.
I realize that this was a sermon about widowhood and preparation today for one day not being with your spouse. But, this encouraged me to live today, by ministering to those around me...my husband, my children, my neighbors, my family and so on. All I need to do is be faithful today. Take one step at a time. That is all God expects from me. In fact, He gives me just enough grace for what I need today - nothing more, nothing less. You can't "tank up" on grace and you can't get grace now for future affliction.
taken from Douglas Wilson's sermon at Christ Church
for more info on godly marriages and being a godly wife, click here (scroll down to Doug or Nancy Wilson titles)
Kerry
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