I Peter 3:1-12 - "White Flag"

The Lord took me back to I Peter 3 today. The first seven verses are directed to cultivating inner beauty. I like how it reads as 'holy beauty' in The Message. The way to cultivate inner beauty is by living in His presence. One needs to seek more of Him every day. As married couples both the wife and the husband need to love one another with God's love. There are some marriages where one or the other are not in relationship with God. The one who is in relationship with Him needs to work harder to show His love to the other. When one is blessed with a believing spouse, it is usually easier to show God's love to them because they can comprehend such love. My heart is breaking this morning for a few people who are living with spouses who do not know Him. The turmoil in their home can be so great. Peter continued this chapter with the way we are to live out our lives. Verses eight and nine tell us we are to "Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble." He continues that we are not to retaliate but "Instead, bless--that's your job, to bless." Peter quotes verses from Psalm 34 in verses ten through twelve...

These are tough words to live out. Words that are easier said than done, especially when dealing with non-believers. But if we want them to see our inner beauty we must live them out. His love must show through our words and actions. As said earlier in the chapter, when we bless we will be blessed. I see that as a promise for those married to non-believers. The more of God that shows through them, the closer their spouse comes to knowing Him. The more love we shower on non-believers, the sooner they will become like-minded with us. We can never give up on people but we do need to remember they will come into relationship with Him in God's time. This may not always be the timing we desire but it is the perfect time. We must raise our "White Flags" up to God and surrender our loved ones to Him. That does not mean we should quit praying for them but it means we need to trust that He will open their eyes to Him in His time.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for loving me so greatly. Thank You for enabling me to realize things must happen in Your time. Thank You the days are gone of me trying to manipulate situations to make them happen in my time. Father, my heart breaks for different ones who struggle in their marriage with being yoked with a non-believer. Lord, fill their cup today with more of Your love, mercy and grace. Enable them to love their spouse with Your love in a different, new way. Father, I pray the same for myself in my relationships with non-believers. I pray You will enable me to continue to love on them with Your love as I wait for Your timing in their lives. Cleanse me of anything not of You and fill me to overflowing with more of You. Thank You for being My Promise Maker. Amen.