I apologize for this cough I am carrying here. I thought I would be overt, but I am not, so my apologies for the inconvenience it may present to you. I invite you to turn in God's Word to Proverbs chapter 31. And we pick up at verse 10, and we read until the end of the chapter, verse 31. Proverbs 31, verse 10 through 31. This is a very popular text of scripture on a day like today when it is Mother's Day. Our culture celebrates Mother's Day. And as someone very wise once said, Oftentimes in our culture, Mother's Day is an excuse to forget your mother 364 other days. But as the Christian Church of Jesus Christ, we understand that we honor our mothers and we are called to honor and respect and obey our mothers every day, not just today. But today we're looking at this text. We haven't looked ever at this text, whether through our series in Proverbs or on Mother's Day, but we do so today. Feminists often deride this text. Feminism is a modern movement against God's Word that seeks to, in many ways, liberate women, but it only has enslaved women, because anything that departs from God's Word is slavery. And the irony, though, is that these really aren't words of a male. They're the words of a mother. to her son. The words of verse 31 verse 1, the words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him. Lemuel was a king, his mother takes him aside and tells him in verse 2 to 9 what kind of man he is to be. what kind of king he is to be. And then in verse 10 through 31, he tells us that his mother taught him what kind of queen he is to marry, what kind of wife, what kind of woman he is to pursue. We'll have more to say on the particulars in a moment, but let's look at God's holy and inspired word. An excellent wife who can find. She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not harm all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant She brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it. The fruit of her hands, she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them. She delivers sashes to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom. And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her. many women have done excellently but you surpass them all charm is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman who fears the lord is to be praised give her of the fruit of her hands and let her works praise her in the gates amen let's pray our father and our god We ask you that the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts would be pleasing in your sight. As we turn to your word, Father, allow me and help me. Give me strength to explain your word and to apply your word. It is your word, not the word of man. So Father, may we pay more close attention to this word for our own well-being, our own salvation and sanctification. And we pray in Christ's holy name. Amen. Our world has many problems today, as we know. And the church has many problems as it has become more worldly. As the church drinks from the fountain of the world, the church becomes more worldly. And among these problems, I want to point out to you something that our text very directly, but perhaps not in many words, tells us. One problem that we face in our day is the problem of androgyny. The problem of androgyny, where nothing is either male or female. Life is just somewhat asexual, right? And in the Church of Jesus Christ, we have this problem. We're confronted with this problem. And perhaps you've seen it yourself. If I were to ask you the question, what does it mean to be a godly person? What does it mean to be godly? We could all proffer a number of answers, right? It's very general. Godliness. But what does it mean, if I were to ask you, to be a godly man? Right? In 1 Corinthians, chapter 16, verse 13, Paul there tells the church, act like a man. We would say, hold on, Paul, what do you mean, act like a man? Is there something known as Christian manhood? You see, we struggle with androgyny. And if I were to ask you, what does it mean to be a Christian woman? You might say, well, is there such a thing as being a Christian woman? And the Bible, of course, tells us very plainly, very directly that yes. there is something known as biblical womanhood what god does salvation he does many things but one of the things he does he tells us in first john chapter three he comes to destroy the works of the double but he does not come to destroy the works of his father and the father made us both male and female He created mankind, male and female. So God doesn't come to destroy masculinity or femininity. He comes to restore masculinity and femininity. Men, you are called to be Christian men. But particularly today, I am addressing the woman. my sisters in the congregation. God calls you to be virtuous women. And so what does this look like? Previous generations had no problem answering this question. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, says very clearly, this is the type of woman, in Proverbs 31, this is the type of woman women should strive to be and men should choose to marry. We hear that and we say, oh my goodness, this is misogyny, this is politically incorrect. And yet it's not. It's God's Word. This pattern is here for us, for our instruction, for your benefit, for your growth in the gospel, in Christ. So we want to look at the particulars of how Christ restores womanhood. Ladies, what kind of woman should you want to be? Whether or not you're married, whether or not you have children. Men, what kind of woman should you want to marry if you are single? And parents, mothers and fathers, if you have a daughter, what kind of woman do you want your little girl to grow up to be? We have it right here in Proverbs 31. Look with me at the text. We're going to just walk through each verse here. First 10. An excellent wife who can find. She is far more precious than jewels. The first thing I want you to see about restored womanhood in Jesus Christ is that she is wise. This woman is not perfect. She's not sinless, but she has embodied wisdom so that she is precious, more precious than jewels. It's interesting that this phrase is used because it's the same phrase that's used of wisdom in Proverbs 3, verse 14. Proverbs 8, verse 10. Look at Proverbs 3, verse 14. It says, For the gain from her is better than gain from silver, and her profit better than gold. She, speaking of wisdom here, is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. This is a woman who has learned wisdom. who has sought to submit her life under the direction, under the Word of God. And thus, she is precious. And in our day of feminist pursuits, she is rare. What makes her attractive, what makes her precious, and more than any treasure, is not her lineage. It's not her beauty. It's not her money. It's her virtue. It's her wisdom. She has embodied wisdom. Notice verse 11 and 12 though, continuing. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not harm all the days of her life. What an amazing picture here of husband and wife together as one flesh. I want to point out, men are called to certain things here, they're called to certain responsibilities, but we're putting at the forefront restored womanhood. Notice the woman. The husband trusts her and his life abounds. And in response, what does she do? She does him good all the days of her life. There is, in other words, no more battle of the sexes. There is no more competition between men and women, between husband and wife in Jesus Christ. Husband and wife in Jesus Christ do not work at cross-purposes. Dear sisters in Christ, if you are to be a virtuous woman, you must not be at cross-purposes with your husband, competing with him, or being quarrelsome. Proverbs talks about the quarrelsome woman who is like the dripping of rain from a leaky ceiling, right? You kind of nag and nag until you get what you want, until you get your desire. No. God says that you are called to do good to your man, to your husband, all the days of your life. moving together in one mission, building one home that loves the one Lord Jesus Christ, serving others. She is trustworthy and reliable. Of course, not flirtatious. And because she is so trustworthy, her husband has no misgivings. Her husband trusts her and can leave the house in her charge This tells us something, does it not? That restored femininity, restored womanhood as a wife, you are directed to your husband. You are to be oriented to your husband. Not towards personal fulfillment. I think this is the message we get all over. It's not just women. All over we get this message in our day. Do yourself. Do you. Do that. Pursue that which gives you pleasure, that personally fulfills you, that you want to do. And in our day, marriage oftentimes in the world takes this mold, takes this shape of husband and wife just going in divergent paths, trajectories, pursuing their own good, But here, we're told, no, no. The husband is to, of course, be oriented towards God's mission. This is where he's going. This is where he's leading his family. And the wife comes alongside as the helpmeet from Genesis 2 to help him fulfill the mission God has placed before him. And I want you to see that in what follows in verses 13 through 22, even to 27. Because there's going to be a lot of talk of productivity, of economics. We're going to talk about some of these things very superficially, given our time constraints. But I want you to see that you have to have the big mission in mind. This isn't just about budgeting and about clothes shopping and grocery shopping and changing diapers. This is about the big mission of God. And what is God's mission? God's mission from the very beginning is to have a world full of worshippers who love Him and do what He commands. That's what the church has been tasked with. That's why God tells us, God the Son, go into all the nations and disciple all the nations. Gather them in. And that begins happening on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. That's what we're all about. And your particular household, your particular home, has to be connected. The mission of your home, your life's mission, has to be connected with that overarching, grand mission. Otherwise, you're going to say, what's the point? What's the big fuss? Why do I feel so oppressed? with things that seem so menial. You have to realize, dear sisters, that your life is to be taken up into the life of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and His mission in the world. Because of that, what you do is world-changing, is life-changing. If you have children, what G.K. Chesterton said is absolutely true. You get to introduce your children to the world. What an amazing blessing that wives and mothers have. Alright, with that in mind, let's look at a couple of things. Beginning in verse 13. Not only does she embody wisdom, not only is there no more battle of the sexes, There's no more competition, but there's a unity in mission, a unity building a household to the Lord. But thirdly, there is great work. A virtuous woman is not characterized by idleness, but by work. Right? The feminists of our day look at us, look at you and say, oh, you do nothing. You just stay home. If you're a stay at home mom, you do nothing. Right? You just watch TV and eat bonbons. Well, that's not true at all. And I thank the Lord we have here Proverbs 31 women and moms, mothers who know the toil and the trouble of motherhood. The work that characterizes this virtuous wife, this virtuous woman who's being restored in Jesus Christ is not the work of a career woman. It's not the work of someone slaving away at a law firm, alright? It's the work that furthers and advances the mission of the home and the mission of God under, especially if you're married, under your husband's leadership and provision. You're advancing, you're gaining competence and growing in competence in what I would call the maternal arts. And all the decisions you're taking, even the economic ones, are called to advance your home's prosperity and focus. Look at a couple of things here with me. Verse 13. Notice the kind of work, what it's characterized by. She seeks wool and flax and works with willing hands. Wool and flax, of course, are materials that were used to make clothing and fabric. basic necessities. But notice what characterizes her. Willing hands, a cheerful disposition, a joy, not a discontentment, not a deep-seated anxiety. Willing hands, knowing that she works unto the Lord and for the Lord and for the well-being of her household. Notice verse 14 and 15. She's like the ships of the merchant. She brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She goes wherever she needs to go to make sure her family, her family's needs are addressed. There's no inconvenience, there's no sacrifice too big for her family. Of course, within reason, within reason. What's best, what's most inexpensive, she goes to that extent to secure that for her household. And notice the care and the attention she has, even for her maidens, right? We might say, well, that's the, you know, let them forage for themselves. But her attention is so comprehensive that even those who are maybe deemed insignificant are cared for in the household. She knows where to get a good deal in terms of food, in terms of clothing, in terms of supplies, in terms of that which makes a household and a home comfortable in a modern sense and convenient. She goes to that extent to secure those things. She's diligent. She's sacrificial. Verse 16 and 17. She considers a field and buys it. With the fruit of her hand, she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. Feminists have a field day with this one. They say, well, it's very clear. Can't you see? Right there. She goes out and works. She's a career woman. And then you couple that with verse 24, or the next verse, she perceives that her merchandise is profitable. And then verse 24, she makes linen garments and sells them and delivers sashes to the merchant. You know, she's opening a business, right? That's what we're told. Except it's not the case at all. She's stewarding what she has been given. She is a steward of what she has been given. Notice the intelligence that biblical womanhood and femininity requires. She considers, she buys, she plants. And what she's involved in is furthering the mission of the household. A vineyard wasn't a dead-end hobby. in the ancient Near Eastern world in first century Israel. A vineyard gave you food. A vineyard gave you drink. A vineyard was part of the necessity of a household. And here she is cultivating that which makes her a more godly and competent wife and mother. She's not distracted by side hobbies or amusing ventures. She's not distracted, but she's pursuing the mission of the household. I want to say this with as much brotherly, fatherly kindness as I can. I've said it to men in the congregation, but I say it to women as well, to my dear sisters. A word about college. College degree may be useful. College degree may be nice. But a college degree may be a distraction. It might be a distraction for men. Right? To go to school and get strapped with $100,000 in debt. I say this because it's a real thing. Because I have, in my years as a pastor here, actually been involved in much financial counseling with men who have $50,000, $100,000 degrees. in English or sociology, right? And now as men, they see themselves impoverished. They can't do anything with that. They have no market value. And it will be years before they deem themselves able to provide and protect and build a house. And I want to say the same for you, dear sisters. Is college helping you become A better wife? A better mother? Potential wife, potential mother? Or is it a distraction? You might say, well, I want to bring something into the marriage. But, and I don't kid when I say this, what you will bring into the marriage might just well be a lot of debt. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. A word to the wise. Whether or not, whatever you think of college, and I'm not here to tell you drop out of college or do something radical like that. Although, maybe that's what needs to happen. I don't know. I speak to you as a brother and as a father. That's what pastors are. You need to be developing, dear sisters, competencies. and cultivating that which makes you a godly potential wife and mother. Something as basic as cooking. Something as basic as hosting. Do you know how to host large groups? Can you care for children? Do you know how to budget your expenses and your income? Whatever those may be. Do you know how to organize a home? Alright? Whatever plot of whatever vineyard God has given to you, what are you doing with that? What are you doing with that vineyard in front of you? Notice verse 17. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. This is not the strength of feminism. This is not the strength of even yoga or Pilates. Nothing wrong with that. But that's not what's being said here. This isn't the strength of bodybuilding or lifting weights. This isn't the strength of women competing with men or of egalitarian interchangeability. This is the strength of tender motherhood. Truth be told, just look up at verse 16 and put those verses together. This is how her arms are strong. She's strengthened by her vocation. She's strengthened by cultivating and working in that vineyard God has given her. She's strengthened by carrying children. And she's productive in this enterprise. This is the strength of tender motherhood. Notice verse 18 and 19. Like I said, we're just going to walk through these verses. Notice there her productivity. Notice there her work ethic, if we could put it that way. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hand to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. And then again in verse 24, she makes linen garments and sells them. She delivers sashes to the merchant. The distaff and the spindle were two more or less rods you know this is basically how it worked with some variation but the wool and the flax the cotton would all be bundled up in a rod called the distaff and from there you would have to thread out the the fabric and that's what the spindu was you would You would turn it, and you could see old pictures, paintings of this operation. And the women would be at home, and you would have to have great care to do it just right, just so. And you would turn the spindle and create fabric, create thread. These things became mechanized in the Industrial Revolution, where now you had spinning wheels. And then in factories, it was taken up a notch, and the work was taken out of the home. In this context, we see her productivity. This is a woman not given to leisure or amusement. She's creating, she's producing, she's selling, she's teaching, she's training. Verse 15, she's rising up early. Verse 18, she's going to bed at night, late. Mothers, you know what this is like. When you come to the end of the day exhausted, not because you've been chasing or pursuing your own dream, but because you've been on mission, building your home, building a household for the Lord that will last. And notice then in verse 20 to 22, not only is she working with willing hands, she's diligent, she's a steward, she's productive, but verse 20 to 22, she's oriented to service. She's oriented to service. Notice who's first, notice who's last. Verse 20, she opens her hand to the poor, reaches out her hands to the needy. She's not afraid of snow for her household. All her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. She serves the poor and needy. She doesn't forget about the world outside of her home, but she understands that that's one of the ways you grow. That's one of the ways you cultivate your home. Not forgetting those who are outside. And then she serves her household. She clothes all of her household in scarlet. Even down to the maidens. And then, herself last. She makes bed coverings for herself. Her clothing is fine linen and purple. And what she does for the poor in supplying their need complements what the king does in the court. In chapter 31, verse 9, open your mouth, judging righteously, defending the rights of the poor and the needy. The king and the queen here with one mission complementing one another interdependently. Seeking to build a household and a home for God. Notice that luxury here is almost a by-product, it's almost incidentum. That her bed coverings are made of fine linen and purple. It's a by-product of living a productive, creative life. Not fixated upon herself, but serving others. That's her work. Notice what else she does. Verse 23. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. In a very real way, she enhances her husband's reputation. Her husband would be impoverished to a certain degree, in a certain sense, without her. He is well respected in part because of his wife. Her worth is attached to his worth. Of course, needless to say, his worth is attached to hers. He's able to fulfill his calling in the gates as a leader, as a man of God. Why? Because she has been fulfilling her calling and her vocation as his wife. Verse 25, strength and dignity are her clothing and she laughs at the time to come. This is a woman, this verse might strike us, wow, she's really bold, she's really confident. Maybe she's arrogant? She's not arrogant. She's a woman who fears God. And because of this, she fears nothing else. She has an internal inner motor that keeps her trusting the Lord and faithfully working in her home for her household. She's resilient because she knows what God has given her. And that's why it said in verse 21, she is not afraid of snow for her household. She laughs at the time to come. Because fearing God, she fears nothing else. She fears no one else. She doesn't fear circumstances or peril. This is a woman who has grounded her life in the Lord. And then verse 26. She opens her mouth with wisdom. And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. This is a woman who is soft, who is not hard. The teaching of kindness is on her lips. She may have calloused hands, but she has a soft heart. She has wisdom in her mouth. This is a woman who is not hard or cynical or sarcastic or has a critical spirit. But she's tender, she's kind, she's hospitable, she's open to others. It's not that she's naive or taken in by flattery, you see. It's that she's wise, she's discerning, she observes, and she speaks. And she doesn't just speak general kindness. I think our translations obscure the fact that what's said here is that the Torah of Chesed, is on her tongue. The instruction, the law of God's covenant is on her mouth. And you see what we have here is a woman who continually emphasizes the covenant of God, the goodness of God, the salvation of God to those around her. The law of kindness, the Torah of Chesed is on her tongue. And then verse 27, this is a great summary of all that's gone before. She looks well to the ways of her household, and she does not eat the bread of idleness. She may work inside the home, and her husband may work outside the home. And as we were at a conference last week, and it was pointed out very Insightfully, it is something so basic, why this was the case. Why is it that women worked in and men worked out? For the simple fact that outside the home you had bad weather, you had snow, you had rain, you had cold, you had blistering heat, and so men took the brunt of the sacrifice by working outside the home. Sister, you may work inside the home. Your husband may work outside the home. But both are called to work on your home interdependently. One flesh, one home, one purpose under the Lord. Not wasteful, not self-indulgent. Seeing to the well-being, the ways of your household. And in doing so, children see your pattern of patience. Your pattern of dignity and stewardship and self-denial, and they learn from you. So often, Christian men, we have learned our piety from our mothers. From our mothers. And this was the case in my life. This may be the case in your life. Maybe your father set the tone for your household, but it was your mother who carried out that vision and put flesh on the bones. And because of all this, what happens? Verse 28 and 29 and 31. Her children rise up and call her blessed. her husband also, and he praises her." With these words, many women have done excellently, but you surpassed them all. Verse 31, give her of the fruit of her hands and let her works praise her in the gates. What a wonderful, what a glorious picture we have here of womanhood restored in Jesus Christ. Where she has worked, she has labored, she has been faithful in her vocations as wife and mother. And now, at the end of it all, she's publicly praised. She's crowned with the blessing and the praise of her husband, of her children, of her friends, of the neighborhood, of the community. Right? It's as if we were to take our mothers and really honor them, and bring them to City Hall, and give them there a banquet feast in honor of what they have done for us and for society. And she enjoys the fruit of her labors, which are all around her. You have to somewhat infer from the text here, but here's a woman who, at the end of her life, is surrounded by her children, surrounded by her husband, surrounded by her friends and by the community. And they say, you have been a good and faithful servant. And what's said on earth is echoed in heaven. You have been a good and faithful servant. And she's crowned. She's crowned. with the laudatory praise of her husband's children and her works. So today, mothers in our midst, we honor you. We honor you. And we rise up to say you are blessed. Our congregation has been blessed with a number of Proverbs 31 women who love the Lord who have embodied wisdom, who have embodied the virtue that's delineated here in our text. And know that your work, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, is not in vain. We see it all around you. The investment that you have put in your children, and in your families, and in your husbands, and in the training of your children. Mothers, we honor you today in Christ. This woman is crowned with praise. And at the very end, why is this the case? Why is this woman virtuous? Why has she decided to seek wisdom? It's a wonderful inclusio, it's called, or bookend. Proverbs ends as it starts. Proverbs 1 verse 7, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, the beginning of wisdom. You want to be wise? You have to fear the Lord. And here, this woman, we're told, did just that. Verse 30, charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. She has been characterized by right and proper priorities. Right and proper priorities. She has not worshipped her body. She has not worshipped her looks. She has sought to fear the Lord. That it would be said of the woman in our midst, she fears the Lord. What is charm? Well, it's deceitful, Proverbs says. It's manipulative. Flattery and tone of voice get you many places, but not the places you need to be. Charm can open doors that should stay closed. How about beauty? Proverbs tells us it's vain. It's empty. You build your life on looks, and before you know it, you have wrinkles and arthritic hands. And that's okay. That's the way God designed the world. Eternal youth? It's here today and gone tomorrow. It's empty. We're told here, what we've been told repeatedly, that the only investment worth having is fearing the Lord, following His word, and submitting your life whether you're single or married, whether you have children or not, to His directives, to His Word. Oftentimes when we read Proverbs 31, and I realize when we read Proverbs 31 on a day our culture has deemed Mother's Day, can seem like a condemnation. Like the weight of the world is now upon you, and you're in the spotlight. And yet, do not see it as a condemnation. Proverbs 31 really is a challenge. It's a challenge to come and wherever you are on the spectrum, wherever you are on the spectrum, whatever the status of your life is, my dear sister, whatever your faithfulness has been, Maybe you've been more faithful. Maybe you've been less faithful. Maybe some of these things approximate your life. Maybe some of these things don't approximate your life. I want you to see that this is a challenge before us to see God's Word as the way of life, as the way of goodness, as the way of true beauty and happiness. A challenge to walk in the ways of the Lord. A challenge to truly know what it means to be a woman. What it means to have femininity. What it means to be a virtuous, excellent wife. This is it right here. In the way of God's commandments is the way of life. As we conclude, I leave you with two points, two simple points. First of all, give thanks to God for your mother. Give thanks to God for your mother. And if you can, if your mother is near, if your mother is alive, thank your mother. Thank your mother. for what she has done for you. Because without her, you wouldn't be here. None of us would. Thank your wife for being the mother of your children, for caring for your children, and giving of herself, literally, literally, of her body for your children. Give thanks to God and thank the mothers in your life. But secondly, for the last three years, as we've looked at Proverbs, I've often wondered why Proverbs ends with this chapter. You're going along, going along, do this, don't do that, don't be angry, have self-control, etc. All these little pithy Proverbs. And then it ends with Proverbs 31. And I find that a little odd. And yet, you see, it makes perfect sense. It makes perfect sense. Because throughout the beginning part of Proverbs, What's the desire of the father, right? There's 10 or 11 speeches or lectures that the father gives his son, right? He says, son, listen up, hear oh son, hear oh son, right? Proverbs one through nine. And one of the main concerns of the father is that his son would marry a wise woman, a godly wife. And here, here you see, What we're told, in many ways, is that the son has chosen wisely. The son has married a wise woman. He's done it. Maybe this is a concern for you. Maybe this is a concern for your parents, right? Before you were married. Oh, that he would choose wisely. Oh, that she would choose wisely. And here we're told that the Son has chosen wisely and now enjoys marital union with a wise woman, fruitfulness, and walking in wisdom, living happily ever after. That's how Proverbs ends. And they lived happily ever after. Look at your footnote. But there's something else here too. For all of us, for all of us. It's not just that he married a wise woman. It's that he married wisdom. He married wisdom. And all those who marry wisdom will live happily ever after. Whether you're single, whether you're married, whether you have children or not, whether you're a woman, whether you're a man, whether you're a teenager, whatever you are before God, whatever brokenness your life has experienced, whatever travails you've seen the Lord send your way, whatever sins you have committed, if you trust the Lord, and you marry wisdom, and you find the wisdom of God in Jesus Christ, in whom dwells all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom, then you too will live happily ever after. This is the great message of the Gospel. This is the great message of Proverbs. that in ourselves we have misery, in our lives we have sin and decadence, and our lives are just landfills that we just cover over with little tablecloth, right? And we make believe all is well. But the Lord says, marry wisdom. Find your life in Him who alone is life. And you will know the blessedness and the prosperity of life in Christ. You'll suffer. You'll be afflicted. You'll have travails. It'll seem at times that you're walking and you're taking three steps forward and two steps back and six steps forward and ten steps back and all that. And yet you will live happily ever after because the best is yet to come. The best is yet to come. It's not in this world. It's not on this earth. The best still awaits us when heaven comes down to earth and heaven and earth kiss and God and His people are reconciled on that wondrous, glorious wedding day, the wedding supper of the Lamb, the last day, the day of days. Beloved, may we all walk in the wisdom of Christ and know the blessedness of life in Christ. Amen? Let's pray. Our Father and our God, we thank you for your word. We thank you for how good you are to us. We ask, dear Father, that we would receive your word with thanksgiving and humility. Father, I thank You for the women in our midst in this congregation. I thank You for their loving service to You and to others. Father, may their lives be characterized more and more by this wondrous vision You set out before us. of biblical womanhood, womanhood and femininity restored in Christ. Father, we pray, help us one and all to embody wisdom and to marry wisdom, the wisdom of God, to be united to our Lord more and more. Father, be with us, we pray in these things. In Christ's holy name we pray. Amen.