Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Thursday after Jubilate

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: 1 Peter 3:1-12 (NKJV)
 
3:1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.
 
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
 
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For
 
“He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.
 
11 “Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.
 
12 “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
 
Devotion
 
Considering all the sorrows we face in this world, let us not add to them by rejecting the path of love that the Lord has laid out for us who are righteous by faith in His Son. Instead, let us find joy in living according to our roles and vocations, applying the love of Christ to all that we do and say, in all the various roles that we’ve been given.
 
In the context of marriage, the Lord would have wives submitting joyfully to their husbands in love, as the Church submits to Christ. He would have women pursue the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. That’s not the message that women hear from the world or that bubbles up from our sinful flesh, but then, the world and our flesh have never been friendly to Christians. For their part, husbands are not to be gruff or uncaring toward their wives, but are to cherish and honor them as their coheirs of eternal life, whom God made to be the “weaker” one, that is, softer in demeanor, less forceful, less physically strong.
 
All Christians are instructed to be compassionate, tenderhearted, and courteous. We are to turn from evil and do good, to seek peace and pursue it, learning from the Lord Jesus to find joy in serving, in submitting, and in loving.
 
Prayer: Almighty God, Who showest to them that be in error the light of Thy truth, to the intent that they may return into the way of righteousness: Grant unto all them that are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s Religion that they may eschew those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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