As I was going along and studying the first 7 verses of 1 Peter 3, I made a list of all of the characteristics/instructions that were given to wives. Then, I made another one for husbands. Then, I looked at The Amplified version, and added to my list.
See if these were the same things that struck you?
Wives
- accept authority of husband
- submit (yield to the control of husband; hand over control formally; refer to husband for decisions and judgment)
- live a godly life
- live a pure and reverent life
- clothe myself with beauty from within
- have a gentle and quiet spirit
- trust God
- obey husband
- call him master
- do what's right
- subordinate myself to be dependent on husband
- adapt myself to him
- be modest
- revere husband (respect, defer to, honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, adore, admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, enjoy him)
- possess a peaceful spirit
- follow his guidance
- acknowledge his headship
- don't give way to hysterical fears or unnerving anxieties
Husbands
- give honor to wife
- treat wife with understanding
- be a praying person
- treatment of wife impacts prayer life
- live considerately
Certainly, these lists are not exhaustive, and there are several other places in the Bible that address conduct between husbands and wives. But, I went away from this time of study realizing that the Lord has laid out a very specific job description for me. And, on many occasions I'm falling short. I was challenged to the core by these instructions, and I believe that's the reason they are in the Bible. They are to challenge us to be godly wives.
The Lord has reminded me on a number of occasions, that he's given me a position of great power in my home and in my marriage. BUT, that power is correctly aimed when it is surrendered to God's control and design for happy marriages.
Submission seems to be the key to success. Women are called to submit to Christ and their husbands, so that Christ is magnified. Submission is willingly getting out of the driver's seat.
I can't wait to take this idea of submission even further today.
Day 3
- Pray - We'd be totally unprepared for God's intervention in our time, if we don't first ask Him to prepare our hearts for study.
- Read 1 Peter 3
- Reread 1 Peter 3:8-12 - Okay, think about cause and effect today. God has called us to act a certain way. Make a list of the qualities that we are to exhibit. What's the effect of these actions? Are we guaranteed results?
- Apply - Pick out one of these qualities and reflect on its presence or absence in your life. What can you do to make a change in your life? Can you adjust your living to be the way that God has called you to live?
- Comment - We would love to know how these verses impacted you.
My prayer for you is that you would experience the transformational power of Christ, that He would transform you by the renewing of your mind.
"seek peace"
ReplyDeleteThose words keep spinning around in my head. I knew that God was trying to show me something with them but all I could think was, "I don't feel as though I am a confrontational person", so at first I wasn't sure where He was going with it. I closed my Bible, walked away and immediately began worrying about Madelyn. Her reflux has been terrible the last 24 hours and I was fearful she would quit breathing again. My mind quickly moved from His word to anxiety and fear.
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Even though this scripture seems to be referring to seeking peace in relation to interactions with others, He used it to show me that I must actively seek peace in all situations. With others, my husband and in my own mind.
I am not a confrontational person unless I am honest and say that the war that rages in my head is one that goes head to head with the truths that I know in my heart. Those thoughts and anxious behaviors confront my faith head on.
I have been trying to be more intentional in my life lately and I think this goes right along with it. I have to actively seek peace within myself through His power for His glory despite the fact that my flesh is trying so hard to do the opposite.
That may not make ANY sense to anyone else, but it helped me process what He was showing me this morning.
"seek peace"
Good morning everyone!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Lindsey, thanks for putting out what the Lord ahowed you about the roles in marriage in the list for m like you did. That was great to read and seeing the list like you made, inspired me to make my thoughts in more of a list form like that. What a peaceful feeling reading those loving instructions our Lord has laid out for us and our husbands! HE knows how to make a marriage work!
Okay, so I just made a list of the cause and effect and the one that stood out to me was "refraining your tongue from speaking evil." I then asked myself, "what is the definition of evil?" and looked in the dictionary and it said:
Evil- Morally wrong; immoral; sinful; wicked; causing injury; mischief; trouble, or pain; bad; harmful; repulsive; characterized or accompanied by misfortune or suffering; unfortunate; disastrous; due to bad character or conduct.
Hmmm. Not too lovely of a description. So many of these defining words can be easily done through my words when I am upset about someone or something and again, like I said a few days ago, speaking such things comes with someonewhat of a "license" because I'm "just needing to vent." Says who! You know, getting this verse and it's definition down to the core of my heart and meditating on it before, during and after speaking, I feel confident will help in this area and in these negative life situations. Afterall, it's the hearts issue that produces evil words. I'm encouraged also that during the weak moments when my heart feels overwhelmed with evil, to overcome that evil with good. That is, yes, speak GOOD things about whoever and whatever it is that is troubeling me. Stop complaining about it. Be thankful for something! Find ways to be more merciful and compassionate about the circumstance/relationship. And also a rule of thumb when emotionally "on edge"... less is best! Just as Proverbs states "In a multitude of words, sin is not lacking." Therefore, I must zip it, seek the Lord, and ask Him for words to flow from His spirit that are Holy and pleasing in His sight.
The words "love as brothers" stuck out to me. It makes me glad that I have brothers, because I think without siblings, my feeble mind would not be able to comprehend this fully. I know the love I have for my brothers. It's different than any other relationship I have. I pray for them diligently, I want good for them, I go out of my way to do kind things for them. I should be showing the same love, compassion, and sympathy to everyone I meet that I do my brothers. When will I understand that we're all children of God, so I have A LOT of siblings, not just the two that share my earthly parents? I know that I'm called to love, but to say I'm called to "love as a brother" puts it in a whole new perspective.
ReplyDeleteKathryn, a book by Elizabteh George called "Loving God with All Your Mind" has helped me in this area of worry and when feeling "unpeaceful." She encourages in the very beginning of the book to meditate on Phil. 4:8 "whatsoever things are true (or real)... think on these things." She encourages us to ask ourselves when worry creeps in, "is what I'm thinking on true or real?" There's great promise in this scripture that as you fix your thoughts on things that are true or real, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, anything virtuous and praiseworthy, the God of peace will be with you. What hope there is in that!
ReplyDeleteAnyways, it was just on my heart this morning to encourage you with this scripture for if (or let me say WHEN) the enemy tries to get you worrying about all the what-if's with your little Madelyn, excersising this scripture will strengthen your heart and give you the peace you are seeking.
I'm not an overly confrontational person, but at the same time I'm guilty of not doing the things that these verses tell me to. If someone insults or offends me I may not address them directly, but I have been guilty of saying things to others about them. I've held a grudge in my heart against them. I've chosen to walk in unforgiveness. And all of that is about as far from seeking peace as I can get. These scriptures tell us that "whoever would love life and enjoy good days" must live a life that is upright and stay away from evil. I find it funny that it specifically mentions keeping your "tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech". The message says "say nothing evil or hurtful". I think that's because our mouths are often the start of most of our problems (at least I know it is with me). But even more than that it's not enough to just turn from evil, it also tells us that we must "do good". I think that moves us outside of ourselves and forces us to focus on others. I know that as I study this I'm having to really evaluate my life and ask myself where I need to change.
ReplyDelete