HIS Words [10]

IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives, when they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence for your husband;

[you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him--to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].

Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes; but let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.

For it was thus that the pious women of old who hoped in God were [accustomed] to beautify themselves and were submissive to their husbands [adapting themselves as secondary and dependent upon them].

It was thus that Sarah obeyed Abraham [following his guidance and acknowledging his headship over her by] calling him lord (master, leader, authority). And you are now her true daughters if you do right and let nothing terrify you [not giving way to hysterical fears or letting anxieties unnerve you].
1 Peter 3:1-6

As I was reading through 1 Peter yesterday, this passage of scripture caught my eye. In the Amplified Translation, there is so much expansion of what is meant in each verse. Here are the words/phrases that stood out as it relates to what God treasures in a wife:

• Adapt to him
• Pure
• Modest
• Reverence
• Inward Beauty
• Incorruptible
• Gentle
• Peaceful
• Precious
• Dependent upon him
  

And then I read through, again and again, the extended definition for what it means to reverence my husband:

• Respect him
  
• Defer to him
  
• Honor him
• Esteem him
• Appreciate him
• Prize him
• Adore him
• Admire him
• Praise him
• Be devoted to him
• Deeply love him
• Enjoy him

Interesting point to note: The passage in 1 Peter written to "wives" is six verses long. The passage written to "men" is one.

"In the same way you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God's unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]"

My mind and heart are overwhelmed. This is not a one day journal entry...this is where I stop and dig deeper. To be continued...