Godly Women: Making Their Men Great

We've all heard it said that behind every great man is a woman.
God created woman "for man" (1 Cor 11:9), as a "helper fit for him," since it "is not good that the man should be alone" (Gen 2:18). But sin came in and marred the roles of men and women. In Genesis 3 Adam did not lovingly lead or protect his wife from the words of the serpent, and Eve did not look to her husband. Our race was thus plunged into depravity, and part of the resulting curse was that women would resist their godly role to help and submit to their husband, and men would likewise resist their role of loving their wives as they lead them: "Your desire shall be for (or 'against') your husband, and he shall rule over you" (Gen 3:16b, ESV).

But whenever God's grace is at work in a woman, he enables her to fulfill her role to his glory. What an exceedingly beautiful thing to behold a godly woman helping her husband be great!

We men need the help of our wives! We need God's grace shown to us through our wife's ministry of help. What could men do or be without godly women in their lives? Godly mothers, sisters, and wives helping us, encouraging us, giving us crucial aid?

We see this shown in the life of Moses, with the women in his life. Moses was one of the greatest men of God who ever lived. THE leader of Israel, called by God to bring his people out of Egypt, mediate between them and God; God spoke to Moses! He gave him the law on the mountain, showed him the blueprints for the tabernacle, and listened to Moses' prayers for the people. Moses was a great man of God!

But Moses would have died in infancy if not for the faith of his mother! In Exodus 2 we read of Moses' mother putting him in a basket in the Nile river rather than killing him in obedience to the king of Egypt. She saved his life. Moses could not have been the man of God he grew to be if not for his mother who feared God more than man.

Moses also had a sister! Miriam stood at a distance to see what would become of her baby brother in the basket-boat. When Pharoah's daughter found Moses, it was Miriam's quick thinking and boldness that led her to approach her superior and suggest finding a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby. So she ran and got she and Moses' mother, who was able to save Moses' life (again!) by nursing him before he was handed over to be raised in Pharoah's house.

Moses also had a wife! In Exodus 4, Moses has returned from meeting God in the burning bush. He leaves Midian with his wife, Zipporah, and his sons, headed for Egypt in obedience to God. But Moses' obedience was only partial. He had not circumcised his son in observance of God's covenant with Abraham! Was this a serious matter before God? God came to kill him!!! But Moses' helper acted quickly on Moses' behalf: "Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin" (Ex 4:25, ESV). Zipporah saved Moses' life!

Praise God for godly women who embrace their role as unto the Lord, and help their husbands! Praise God for helpful mothers, sisters, and wives! Praise God for godly women who help their men be great for God!

ANOTHER Helper!

At the last supper, hours before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus was thinking of others.

He was speaking words of comfort to his disciples to prepare them for what they were about to face: Their friend Judas (who they thought was going out to give money to the poor, Jn 13:29) was at this moment betraying Christ; Their leader - Peter the outspoken - would deny he even knew the Lord; all disciples would fall away that night (Mark 14:27); and their Lord, whom they have spent 3 1/2 years with, will be crucified and then leave them, returning to the Father. How they needed these words of comfort!

After commanding them to love one another and believe in him (Jn 13:34, 14:1), Jesus gives the ultimate comforting promise:

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth...the Helper, the Holy Spirit...will teach you all things..." (Jn 14:16-17a, 26, ESV)

Jesus has promised that after he returns to the Father, the disciples will be given another Helper! Note the word "another." They have had Jesus helping them all along. And now, even though he is leaving them to return to the Father, he will continue to help his people by serving them as their High Priest in heaven forever! If that was not enough to provide comfort, he promised to send ANOTHER Helper, the Holy Spirit! So the disciples (and all believers in Christ) will have Jesus helping in heaven and the Holy Spirit helping on earth; that's a lot of help!

Are you a believer who needs some comfort? Look to the promises of Christ and be comforted:

Jesus is our sympathetic High Priest (Heb 4:14-16), representing us to God in heaven and answering every accusation against us that the Devil brings. He is described as our Advocate in 1 John 2:1. The word translated Advocate in that verse is the same word translated Helper in John 14:16! Jesus is helping us in heaven!

The Holy Spirit is God in us. Helper means 'one who comes alongside.' He is indwelling the believer, filling us as we yield to him (Eph 5:18) and empowering us, coming 'upon' us (Acts 1:8), to be witnesses for Christ and walk in holiness. He is producing in the believer every quality (or 'fruit') that is pleasing to God (Gal 5:22). And he has gifted every believer with a special ability to edify the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:4-11). The Holy Spirit is another Helper, helping us right now on earth!

Become AWARE of your help in God. This is not wishful thinking or the power of positive thinking. These are the promises of God in Scripture! Jesus has removed the wrath of God from us by the sacrifice of himself at the cross, and is ministering in heaven as our High Priest before God; his blood atones for us! And the Holy Spirit has been sent to help the church fulfill our Christ-given mission on earth. Receive these truths and walk in them. And let us thank God for the HELP!!!