“Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.”
1 Peter 3:6
Why Sarah?
Why not Esther, Deborah, Jael, Rahab, or even Mary, mother of Jesus, to do a study on? Surely they too were strong women of faith, Mrs. Murrell.
Yes, they were. Weak women actually who believed in and walked in their belief of their strong God. We will discuss those precious biblical ladies at some point in time, Lord willing, but today I am writing with much joy and respect for our dear sister in Christ, Sarah.
Sarah, also foreknown as Sarai, in the Bible was Abraham’s first wife and mother of their son Isaac; she is also known as the “mother of nations.” If you do not know much about her besides her laughing at the prophesy by God that she would bare a child at 90 years old, you are missing out. I decided to do a study on Sarah because God made a special mention of her when instructing us women how we should walk. If God thought it worth uplifting this sister (not just once, but twice), surely we can learn much from looking into her life and her biblical womanhood and wifedom.
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;
2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.
3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
1 Peter 3:1-7 KJV
There’s a whole lot of spiritual meat here…
Let’s start from the top. The Lord through Peter tells us to be in subjection to our own husbands. To be in subjection, according to Webster, is the act of subduing; the act of vanquishing and bringing under the dominion of another. The state of being under the power, control and government of another. The safety of life, liberty, and property depends on our subjection to the laws. In my blogs, you will see me emphasize submission quite often. Not because I hate women and I am “trying to bring you down” or “back into bondage.” Quite the opposite, dear soul. It is because I love you because God loves you. And I am bringing to you His Word who formed you with His very hands. Him whose yoke is easy and burden is light. Showing you the truth of God and teaching it by the grace of God so that you may too walk in real freedom. Sarah exemplified this greatly. Did you know that in Genesis 12 that Abraham (Abram at the time) told her to tell Pharaoh and the people of Egypt that she was his sister because they were journeying through and she was beautiful and he did not want Pharaoh to kill him to get to her. She complied, and no she did not lie. She was also his half-sister by blood. What submission! That takes not being “afraid with any amazement” to a whole new level. Thank God for protecting her and sending plagues so that Pharaoh found out the truth and sent her and Abraham on their way. And believe it or not, this happened twice with two different rulers – Pharaoh and then later King Abimelech. See, even when our husbands sometimes do not make the best of choices, we can trust our God to preserve us and our integrity. But we are still to submit to them even in those choices (yes, even if your husband is not saved), for they are the head, as long as those instructions will not cause harm to ourselves or others. Reference 1 Peter 3:1-2 again.
And though it is quite clear Sarah was absolutely stunning physically, it is even more clear she was even more breath-taking spiritually. She had a meek and quiet spirit and as the holy women in her time, she adorned herself in being subjection to her own husband (1 Peter 3:3-6). I have no doubt that Sarah was a proverbial 31 and Titus 2 type woman. For many daughters had done well, but she exceeded them all. Once again, not because she was anything – but because God was her everything. It takes a virtuous woman surrendered to Christ to help uplift such a man of God as Abraham who God would call to be the father of many nations.
Something else about our sister Sarah is she also learned the hard way that God’s way is best. Because let us be honest, sometimes we let our impatience and flesh momentarily get the best of us. When she was barren, she permitted her husband to sleep with her handmaiden, Hagar, to have a child and… he did. Yikes. As most expected, when the child was born she was wrought with jealousy and a snowball of events happened because of it. (Reference Genesis 16-17,21). Yet, God was yet merciful toward Sarah and though the LORD blessed the seed before her own, Ishmael, He blessed her seed, Isaac, even more for He was the appointed seed of promise and the child chosen to be established in God’s covenant.
Yet, she was yet a woman of faith… (Hebrews 11:11). And actually, one of the few women listed in what I like to call the “Hall of Faith” found in Hebrews 11.
Abraham must have thought mighty highly of his wife as well. He buried her most beautifully (Genesis 23). Though he eventually married again and even had more children after her death, nothing was much said about his other wife, Keturah, as was Sarah. God did not leave a special mention for her in His word. And I am not impying she was not a great wife to Abraham and wonderful mother to their children together, but she was not as highly commended and adored as his first wife. You may too already be a great wife, but sister we can be even better through Christ. Do not just run your race, but run it with all you have. Do not settle with the bare minimum, but do it whole-heartedly unto God. Sarah ran her race well and in subjection to her own husband and adorned so lovely with a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price.
Despite what the world says, being contentious is not cute. Being loud and obnoxious is not strong. Being rebellious is not victorious. Being lawless in not living free. Not at all. The Bible warns of such type of women in His Word – and guarantee you no real man of God will delight in such a foolish woman, for one I used to be. Here’s a few to start:
“It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.”
Proverbs 21:19
“It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.”
Proverbs 21:9
“A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.”
Proverbs 12:4
But, but, but…
One thing I have come to notice is that there are always a lot of excuses of why we cannot do as God says. If we could not by His Spirit do it, He would not instruct us so. I get disappointed with older women and young alike who try to reflect and project their own experiences and failures unto the younger women and next upcoming generation. Shame. Oh, what a shame. Not only does it goes against God’s Word in what we should teach, but it gives these young wives contorted and unbiblical views before they even truly apply themselves to the Word of God and being obedient to Christ. Is it always easy? Absolutely not. What a lot of these women do is leave out the part when they married someone who God did not tell them to. They leave out how they jumped the gun. They leave out how they wanted God to bless what He had no parts in putting together. So they suffer the consequences of such choices. I know because I have been there and I say this not lacking compassion, but in honest. This is not God’s fault. That is why God tells the older, aged women to teach the younger that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. So we can teach these women what good men of God look like by the Word of God and that even the best men of God will still be flawed human beings. Not loving sin, of course, but not perfect either. Just as we are not perfect. Expecting perfection from another human is silly and is often expected. What makes a beautiful marriage is simply two imperfect people fully submitted to Christ, a perfect God. I get things happen. I get divorces happen, but do not dare blame my Lord for them.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Proverbs 31:28
My husband and I have had our fair share of adversities in marriage, but it is not so lovely today and ever-growing as it is because we gave into our flesh – but surrendered to the Spirit. We have grown so much since the day we have gotten married and I know it is because God has been sanctifying us so beautifully through it all. Every mountain and valley we trust in Him. When I am not being the best, my husband steps up and still shows me the love of Christ. And the days my husband is not at his best, I love and submit to him anyhow. For this, dear sister, is the will of God. Oh, hallelujah! When you finally come to the place of loving the roles God has created you for, you will experience even more joy and heavenly blessings like never before. Ask our sister Sarah. Commended by God Himself in His Word of her doing such. He praises me daily for being such an excellent wife to him and mother to our children and I want to run my race well and continue to grow in my roles as the Lord teaches me.
As I have said before and I will say again:
By the grace of God, knowing Christ and faithfully obeying His Word is the most precious, brave, becoming, and liberating thing any woman can ever do.
Truly redeemed women like I who are being sanctified in our Lord daily can surely testify of His overwhelming goodness.
With much love, encouragement, and long-suffering,
The Redeemed Wife
The Redeemed Wife 