Disciplines of a Godly Woman

I read this book several months back for The Discerning Reader. I identified several areas in which I need to allow God to work in me, but I passed the book on to a friend who was interested in reading it, so I couldn’t reference the book or the suggested scriptures for my particular need. Well, I reacquired the book this past week and plan to reread it. I have the desire to be all the things that the Bible says that a Godly woman should be, but I am woefully short of the goal. I’m not trying to be humble; I’m being honest.

At my grandfather’s memorial service the other day, my father-in-law made an interesting statement. He said that we preach our own funerals every day. I have thought about this and have taken it to mean that the way in which we live our lives is the way in which we will be remembered after we leave this world. So, if I drop dead this second, I will be remembered as a woman who hated to do laundry, but loved blogging (as my desk is in my laundry room, this is the most obvious observation one could make right now). Not a very strong legacy, in my opinion. While it has a certain appeal to SAHMs everywhere, it does not inspire anyone to follow me to Heaven. Herein lies the rub.

If I remember Disciplines of a Godly Woman correctly, then the goal of being a Godly woman is for the advancement of the gospel, to lead others to Jesus, to live a life that glorifies God. And I am not certain of all the ways this can work itself out in everyday living. Amy hit on it in this post. This kind of living occurs when the compartmentalization of life breaks down and the lines that divide our secular from our spiritual are erased. Doing the laundry, the dishes, bathing the kids, cooking dinner, scrubbing toilets, prayer, Bible reading, blogging, going to church, writing letters of encouragement, reading books…when everything I do can be dedicated as worship, then the lines are not as clear and all of life involves Jesus. On the other hand, the choice to avoid certain activities can inspire others to follow me to Heaven, too.

Therefore, for the next little while, this blog is going to primarily focus on my fight to live corum deo, before the face of God. I am hopeful that other women will want to join me, or, at the very least, follow along.

This prayer from The Valley of Vision is a perfect plea regarding today’s post:

O Thou Most High,

In the way of thy appointment I am waiting for thee,

My desire is to thy name,

My mind to remembrance of Thee.

I am a sinner, but not insensible of my state.

My iniquities are great and numberless,

but thou art adequate to my relief,

for thou art rich in mercy;

the blood of thy Son can cleanse from all sin;

the agency of thy Spirit can subdue my most powerful lusts.

Give me a tender, wakeful conscience

that can smite and torment me when I sin.

May I be consistent in conversation and conduct,

the same alone as in company,

in prosperity and adversity,

accepting all thy commandments as right,

and hating every false way.

May I never be satisfied with my present spiritual progress,

but to faith add virtue, knowledge, temperance, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity.

May I never neglect

what is necessary to constitute Christian character,

and needful to complete it.

May I cultivate the expedient,

develop the lovely, adorn the gospel,

recommend the religion of Jesus,

accommodate myself to thy providence.

Keep me from sinking or sinning in the evil day;

Help me to carry into ordinary life portions of divine truth

and use them on suitable occasions, so that

its doctrines may inform,

its warnings caution,

its rules guide,

its promises comfort me.

2 responses to “Disciplines of a Godly Woman”

plainandsimple

Jul 21, 2006 at 9:43 am

This is a great, thoughtful post. George Fox said that we must be “patterns..examples” as Christians. We should be walking sermons! There are so many ways in which I fail in this and I would love to follow your progress, after I’ve come back from my holidays. I will even join you !

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Leslie

Jul 21, 2006 at 1:34 pm

Thank you so much! I hope you have a fun and relaxing holiday. I will enjoy having a partner.

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