Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 6 May 2022
TOPIC: Incorruptible Beauty
11. Beloved, I beg [you] as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12. having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by [your] good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme,
14. or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and [for the] praise of those who do good.
15. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men —
16. as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
17. Honor all [people.] Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18. Servants, [be] submissive to [your] masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.
19. For this [is] commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully.
20. For what credit [is it] if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this [is] commendable before God.
21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22. “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
23. who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed [Himself] to Him who judges righteously;
24. who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed.
25. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional 6 May 2022 OUTLINE
STUDY: Today’s reading opens with an admonition to the Christian wife to maintain an inner beauty that never fades away. While it does not condemn the wearing of good clothes and other external adornments, it is more profitable for the Christian woman to pay greater attention to the development of good character as all “holy women” have done. They should obey their own husbands and be submissive to them.
In this way, even unbelieving husbands could be drawn to Christ through the good conduct of their wives. We should avoid being like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but are filled with impurities on the inside (Matt. 23:27).
In verse 7, we see that the incorruptible beauty of the husband should be evident through his cordial relationship with his wife. He should show understanding to his wife in all areas, especially in her weaknesses! Verse 9 reinforces the example of Christ in 1 Peter 2:23 that we should not repay evil for evil! In what practical ways can we have compassion for one another and even bless those who revile us? (vv. 8 – 9).
PRAYER: Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, All His wondrous compassion and purity, O that Spirit divine, All my nature refine, Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.
