A Bookish Sarah

encouragement & bookish things

slide code

Social Media Icons

Photo

Sarah
Welcome, friend! Relax & rest awhile, if you please. I'm an ordinary girl, a follower of Christ, mama to Gabriel, Heidi, & Aidan; and wife to Evan. Here in this little space of the online world, I share all manner of bookish things, including full content reviews, writerly snippets, encouragement for everyday life, and a whole collection of names & their meanings.

welcome to my blog

social media icons 2

Search

category 1

Reviews

category 2

Names

category 3

Encouragement

Be ENCOURAGED || A Model of Reverence

So, I'm two days late. . . 
(thanks to internet troubles and life in general, I didn't have my posts drafted for this week, so. . .)
But no worries, right?  I'm still here to share ENCOURAGEMENT for the day!  The writerly post will have to wait until next week, unless by some miracle I could get it up tomorrow. . . xD


Titus 2:3
"Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior. . ."

What does this mean?  In her book Adorned, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth states that various Bible translations explain it like this, "to live in a way that is appropriate for someone serving the Lord." 

To me, that statement seems to hit the nail right on the head!

"To be reverent means living with the constant, conscious awareness that we are in the presence of an awesome, holy God."
- p. 94, Adorned -

If we were successful to remember this each & every day, what a change in our lives people would see!

"[Younger women are] constantly surrounded by coolness, worldliness, and shallowness.  What they don't see enough of---what they are suffering from lack of---are mature women who have been with Jesus, what one Bible commentator has described as 'life in the presence of the holy.' "
-p. 99, Adorned -


As godly women in an ever-growing, ungodly world, we are called to be reverent not only in behavior, but also in 

APPEARANCE (1 Tim. 2:9-10)
"Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness." (NASB)

In this particular passage, Paul is NOT banning the use of make-up, jewelry, clothing, or hairstyle.  He is merely pointing out that these things are not meant to be the obsession of your time and heart.  A woman's appearance is only a piece of who she is---not the whole puzzle!

ATTITUDE (1 Tim. 2:11-12, 15)
"A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.  But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. . . But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint."

We could expound on EVERYTHING mentioned in these verses---which have all too often made us women bristle and get defensive---but suffice it to say that this speaks to our attitudes and how we respond to God-ordained authority. 

Nancy adds this:
"No, we women are not confined to vows of silence, but reverence toward God and His Word does make up teachable and responsive to God-ordained authority.  It restrains us from asserting ourselves beyond divinely appointed bounds.  And it makes us willing and eager to carry out His sacred calling for our lives."
- p. 101, Adorned -

LIFESTYLE (1 Tim. 5:9-10)
"A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work."

These verses speak of a woman who is qualified for financial care by the church.  But they also tell of the quality of an older woman who has lived her life full of purpose and intentionality.  She was faithful to serve, was not idle in her days, and didn't waste her life on what doesn't matter.  Her behavior and lifestyle was the model of reverence, and in that, those around her could not help but see the beauty of the gospel.  Oh, what an example I would wish to be!

> > > > > < < < < <

Where does reverence begin?
It can only begin in your intentional and deliberate quiet time with your Lord.  We all struggle to make that work, am I right?  We complain and use the excuse, "I don't have the time!"  But Time is a gift.  And it's something we can make more of---without the use of any Time Turner or the like.  ;D

> > > > > > > > > > < < < < < < < < < < <

Are you serving as a model of reverence to both the older & younger women around you?  Do they see the beauty of your character in the reverent, gentle personality that our King wishes we convey? 
I know I fail in that every day.  But I hope this little post will serve to bless you, and that the Lord will grant us daily reminders to be who He has called us to be. 

Happy Friday, y'all!  Have a lovely weekend & be ENCOURAGEMENT to someone today.  <3

Comments

  1. I've really enjoyed reading your updates from your study with this book! It sounds like a really thought-provoking read and your notes on the verses have been super encouraging!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad to hear! And it definitely is that. Thanks, girlie! <3

      Delete
  2. Thanks for another encouraging and informative post. Reverence is a quality one doesn't hear talked about often. I'm enjoying and learning a lot from these updates.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure, dear friend. No, it isn't---but it certainly should be! So glad to hear! <3

      Delete

Post a Comment

To each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass, and a book of rules,
And each must make, ere life is flown,
A stumbling block or a stepping stone.
-Anonymous-

ppl love these

February Snippets!
Here are some Snippets from last month.  These hail from my WIP Safia and another project I'm …
Name Reveal!
Happy November! I don't know about you, but as I sit & type up this little post, I have the …
Book Review | The Goblin Crown
Hello, lovelies!  Just now attempting to get back into the swing of things here in the blog world. …
Book Review | When Mountains Move
Well, no worries, my lovelies!  This review will be rather short.  Simply because. . . I didn'…