God Speaks
1-2 Wives, fit in with your husbands’ plans; for then if they refuse to listen when you talk to them about the Lord, they will be won by your respectful, pure behavior. Your godly lives will speak to them better than any words.
3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on jewelry, or beautiful clothes, or hair arrangement. 4 Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit that is so precious to God. 5 That kind of deep beauty was seen in the saintly women of old, who trusted God and fitted in with their husbands’ plans.
6 Sarah, for instance, obeyed her husband Abraham, honoring him as head of the house. And if you do the same, you will be following in her steps like good daughters and doing what is right; then you will not need to fear offending your husbands.
7 You husbands must be careful of your wives, being thoughtful of their needs and honoring them as the weaker sex. Remember that you and your wife are partners in receiving God’s blessings, and if you don’t treat her as you should, your prayers will not get ready answers.
8 And now this word to all of you: You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t snap back at those who say unkind things about you. Instead, pray for God’s help for them, for we are to be kind to others, and God will bless us for it.
10 If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies. 11 Turn away from evil and do good. Try to live in peace even if you must run after it to catch and hold it! 12 For the Lord is watching his children, listening to their prayers; but the Lord’s face is hard against those who do evil.
13 Usually no one will hurt you for wanting to do good. 14 But even if they should, you are to be envied, for God will reward you for it. 15 Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.
16 Do what is right; then if men speak against you, calling you evil names, they will become ashamed of themselves for falsely accusing you when you have only done what is good. 17 Remember, if God wants you to suffer, it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong!
18 Christ also suffered. He died once for the sins of all us guilty sinners although he himself was innocent of any sin at any time, that he might bring us safely home to God. But though his body died, his spirit lived on, 19 and it was in the spirit that he visited the spirits in prison and preached to them— 20 spirits of those who, long before in the days of Noah, had refused to listen to God, though he waited patiently for them while Noah was building the ark. Yet only eight persons were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 (That, by the way, is what baptism pictures for us: In baptism we show that we have been saved from death and doom by the resurrection of Christ; not because our bodies are washed clean by the water but because in being baptized we are turning to God and asking him to cleanse our hearts from sin.) 22 And now Christ is in heaven, sitting in the place of honor next to God the Father, with all the angels and powers of heaven bowing before him and obeying him.
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Chapter 2 ended with reasons for our being in submission to Christ (living under His authority). Verses 1-7 discuss how wives should display inner beauty by submitting to the authority of their husbands, fitting in with their plans; husbands should love and care for their wives. Both of these actions will please and bring glory to God. Verses 8-17 list several positive actions for believers to take when in a hostile environment, even quoting from Psalm 34. Christ Jesus is our example. He never sinned, yet He suffered, died, and rose again in the place of all people for all time; therefore, He has been given all authority which He shares with those who submit to Him.
Prayer: Dear Father God who loves His children and who wants to bless them as they submit to Him and to each other, when I realize all that Jesus has endured for me, it is easier for me to submit to His authority. It is one way to show my love for Him. The same is true of wives yielding (submitting) to their husbands. Likewise, when husbands take good care of and provide for their wives, they are showing their love. Lord, help me to be submissive to You and to those who have authority over me. I know this will please You and bring You glory. It will also cause You to be more willing to answer my prayers. Loving and respecting each other is one way we show our love for You. Lord, please help me to be more supportive and understanding of other believers, especially those who are suffering harassment or outright persecution for being a Christ-follower. Help them to resist the temptation to repay evil with evil or insult with insult. Help them to bless their tormentors because You have called them to this and will bless them at some future time. May Psalm 34:12-16 bring them comfort and a sense of Your loving concern. May all Your children put this passage into practice. Please help me to set You aside as Lord (boss) of my life and to be ready always to explain why I trust and rely on You, especially amid difficulties. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for everyone but especially for me. You are totally righteous, and I was totally sinful, but, Jesus, You gave up Your life to bring me to God. Thank You that when I was immersed in water at my baptism, it symbolized Your death, burial, and resurrection. As I went under the water, I identified with You in Your death. My old self died with You, and my sins were washed away. When I came up out of the water, it symbolized Your resurrection and my new life in Christ. You, Jesus, are now seated at God the Father’s right hand with angels, authorities, and even demonic forces in submission to You. In You and because of Your constant intercession, I have been granted authority over them here on earth as well. Thank You, dearest Savior. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will ask the Lord to show me a situation where I need to be submissive to Him or to other people, and then do it.
- I will memorize Psalm 34:12-16 in a version I find easy to remember.
I will spend significant time daily praying for fellow believers who are being harassed or persecuted. - I will ask the Lord how He wants me to exercise authority, then cooperate with Him in doing so.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.