The message given to Ruben by Bob Jones for us is: “Gird Up Your Loins.” He told Ruben “Your friends will help you know what that means.” So I explained my understanding of the term to Ruben, then googled an explanation to include here for all of us. I believe this is a serious warning to prepare for what is coming and be prayerfully seeking God.
In Yeshua,
For The Journey and Ruben,
Judy
The following descriptions are from google:
The idiom “gird your loins” means to prepare to protect and defend yourself from some sort of impending action or conflict that is above and beyond normal.
Origin of this idiomatic phrase:
The phrase “gird your loins” dates back to Biblical times and first appeared in the book of Proverbs. During Biblical times, both men and women wore dress-like articles of clothing. This made things difficult for women to work and for men to fight in combat.
In preparation for work or battle, both men and women would be told to “gird their loins.” This meant to raise their “Dresses,” pull the length between their legs, and tie the excess around their waist like a belt, which embodied the first meaning of the term meaning to “circle the waist like a girdle or belt.” When the style of dress changed, the term came to mean more generally to prepare for battle or conflict based on the actions of the people in Biblical times doing the above to prepare for battle or work.
Alternatives to “Gird Your Loins”
Idioms are often figurative phrases that have several alternative ways to express them. Some of the alternative expressions that you could use in place of the phrase “gird your loins” include:
Prepare for battle
Defend yourself
Get ready for conflict
What Does “Gird Up Your Loins” Mean?
The key to this verse is in the phrase, “She girds her loins.” If you are reading the ESV, it is translated as “she dresses herself with strength,” but the Hebrew literally says, “she girds her loins.” That phrase refers to the act of rolling up one’s tunic (the common clothing for men and women at the time) and tucking it under a belt or tying it in a knot.
A person would do this to get the tunic out of the way and be able to have freedom of movement. Men would typically gird up their loins if they were getting ready to engage in battle, travel long distances, partake in strenuous running (as Elisha did in 1 Kings 18:46), or perform hard labor. Biblically the phrase is used literally and figuratively.
What is Proverbs 31:17 Actually Saying?
The Bible uses “Gird up your loins” usually to refer to men. One of my favorites is when God tells Job in 38:3 “Gird up your loins like a man.” God is basically telling him, “Get ready to fight me” (figuratively). But here in Proverbs 31:17, God uses it to describe this remarkable woman. I have often seen this verse interpreted to mean that a woman should be strong in character, emphasizing a figurative meaning instead of literal.