Warriors and Wives

As I have read and enjoyed other blogs, I have been thinking again how perfect God's design for us is! I was in the company of other brothers and sisters in Jesus last night, and one of the brothers was SO on fire for Him! He is a trained disciple, and without speaking a word, you know that he's a long-time, mature Christian. He simply exudes Christ's love and he knows the word of God in a way that I know took years of study. As he was talking about his witness in his workplace, I got thinking that this is really the role God designed for His men. They are the warriors that do battle and man the foxholes. In his warrior role, this gentleman inspired awe and admiration in me and it is these same characteristics that I see in my gentle husband. He would never beat you over the head with Scripture, but he would certainly be a guide through it, if a seeker should cross his path. At the same time, he abhors sin and would most certainly strike at that should it be in his power to do so. I was amazed at the swelling of my heart when I thought of my husband in this role! So where did that leave me? Certainly not stuck in the role of powerless, ineffective coward! No, I think that we, as women, have a very different role in the war we fight in this world. And we do fight! This world is not our home and to live in it, we must literally carve out our place, sometimes in solid rock. Once carved out, though, it is our obligation to stand firm in and on our solid rock, Jesus Christ. No, as women, we are not the warriors. We man the home base. We are the ones that should be comforting and praying with the hurting in our church. We are the ones who should be there to embrace and to uplift the suffering child of God. So many times before my cherished husband was called into the Lord's service, I would sit alone in church with tears streaming uncontrolled. I thank God for his provision of the ministering angels He sent to sit with me and pray with me and offer comfort. They actually seemed to bring the Holy Spirit right into our midst and a peace would envelope me as I pictured myself cradled like a baby in my Savior's lap. Now I am stronger. God has brought me through the valley and I stand hand-in-hand on the mountaintop with my born again husband and I know what my role must now be. I feel compassion for other women in my church in a new and unashamed way that I never did before. They have seen me stripped of all pretense and loved me still, just as Jesus did when He saved me. This is the love that I owe to my sisters and brothers. This is what I am called to do. If I can do nothing more than pray for someone, I now know that there is more power in that than I ever understood before. I also understand that the day will come when I am required to walk again through the Refiner's fire and I praise God that my sisters and brothers will be there to hold my hand and walk beside me!