Woman Of Strength

The saying “Behind every great man is a great woman” is a statement that rings true on many different levels. To be a Godly wife means one is supportive, loving, encouraging, nurturing and above all praying for the needs of her husband. It may not always be the easiest position, but it is one that has great rewards even if at the time things seem to go unnoticed.

In Genesis chapter six we read the familiar story of Noah and his family. God had found him to be the only righteous man on earth along with his three sons, their wives and Noah’s wife. God had told Noah He was going to flood the earth, and that Noah was to build an ark in which his family would be saved. In chapter seven we read how, 100 years later, the ark was finally finished. Noah got his whole family and the animals into this gigantic ark, and then the flood came. This family lived in this ark for about a year, and then when the waters receded, they were able to come out and begin their lives anew. It is a great story and Noah is to be commended for the enormous task he undertook along with his family. The amazing part of this story is that while we know Noah’s name along with his son’s names, we have no record of anything about Noah’s wife. We don’t know her name, what she was like, what she felt about any of this – we know nothing. Some might argue it is no big issue that her name is not mentioned, that it’s not important or relevant to the bigger picture of what took place. Because of this she tends to be overlooked. While it is true God told Noah to build this ark we have to remember this affected his wife as well. Imagine what that conversation must have been like, when Noah came and told her what God had told him. Imagine the look upon her face and how many questions that soon came to follow. Imagine how this totally interrupted their lives as well as their son’s. For them the fact that rain was going to come and flood the earth was a new concept to them – it had to have sounded ludicrous. It had to have even sounded scary and confusing for all of them. I’m sure they prayed as a family and sought God for what was to come. I imagine that even Noah’s wife privately sought her God for the strength she knew they would all need. I’m sure she also dealt with fear and hesitation at times and had to rely upon God to help her and her family get through it all.

I also picture her daily once this process got started taking food and water to her family as they worked tirelessly on that ark. I picture all the love and encouragement she had to have given her husband as he and his sons became most likely the laughing stock of the town. I’m sure she had people telling her that her husband was crazy along with her children. That she was married to a lunatic and she was also crazy for going along with it all, and yet she remained strong. She remained faithful and strong to her family, to her husband and above all to her God. She knew God had commanded Noah to build this ark and year after year I believe she held fast in her support and strength. I picture Noah coming in after a long day’s work with bloody hands and her wiping the blood from them, or wrapping up his hands from the blisters and, in effect remaining strong for him so that he could remain strong until that ark was built.

Then when that day finally came, I believe they as a family celebrated – celebrated and thanked God for the work He had enabled them to do. I believe that Noah’s wife most likely was even more glad it was done. Glad her husband and sons were able to complete that task; for no one could have possibly imagined it would take around 100 years to build. Then when the animals started to come, they again I believe knew even more that Noah had heard God correctly, and for that I’m sure they were all relieved and even more convinced this was what they were to do.

So, while God may not ask you, as a wife, to support your husband in the building of a gigantic ark in your front yard, He is asking you to be a woman of strength even if you feel you are overlooked and no one notices. He is asking that you continue to be that Godly woman who will pray, support, love, encourage, nurture and take care of the needs of not only your family, but your husband as well. You see, for Noah’s wife, while she may not have physically built that ark, she was the glue needed to keep her sons and husband going. It was the glue that helped them in complete the task God had set before them, and in turn what helped bring out the greatness in all of them. It was in fact the glue that helped enable them to keep going. In the end, their lives were saved in part because of the role she played by being that Godly woman of strength.

So, you need to remember what you do for your family and husband never goes unnoticed by God –never. God sees and hears every act and will bring a blessing about because of it. Just as in Noah’s case he was a great man of God who was above all obedient even though it cost him greatly. Yet at the end of the day as he came home it was his wife who lended him the support and strength he needed. Although Noah’s wife may not be mentioned by name she is however remembered by God for her selfless acts. She is also to be remembered by us for her Godly strength and serves as a reminder of how we can be that strong, supportive Godly wife to our husbands as well. She serves as a reminder that even though our job as a wife and or mother may seem to be behind the scenes it is always up front and personal to God and is more valuable than anyone knows.