Keep in mind I have not remarried yet in almost 7 years. I have had no steady relationships in that time since I was abandoned, and my first marriage ended. Yet I am really involved with ministry more and more. My miracle ministry that survived divorce has been preserved by the Lord. I am to teach and to preach and to minister in my local church. That is my privilege and honour. Whether I get married or not, this is my calling. It is the cross I bear. What is the cross you bear for Jesus?
So to this meme I say:
Yes of course waiting on God is important.
But... It is also important to position oneself for receiving. One must keep praying in Jesus' Name, and keep asking and keep seeking. It's not enough to just sit back and do nothing. When some people think of waiting they imagine themselves sitting in a doctors office, waiting to be called. No.
In this context, "waiting on God" means working for Him in your calling. It means you do not act outside His will, but you DO act according to His will. Waiting on God does not mean standing around doing nothing, wasting the gift of singleness. The more years one can get in doing the work of God, the better. Because once marriage comes, your time will be divided and you will have to please both The Lord and also your spouse. Believe me, that is no easy task.
(1 Cor. 7:32-33)
Wait on God by praying for your future spouse to come. Then ....get back to work! Serve Jesus. Spread the Gospel. Love one another in the churches. Serve God in the ministry you have. All Christians have a ministry. Be faithful.
Go all out for Jesus as a single. NOW is your time to serve and bless Him and bless others. You will never again have this THIS level of freedom to please the Lord. You will never again get this many options where you are free to make choices in Christ without considering a spouse's plans or feelings.
You have a commission. Serve God in it, and really press into your love relationship with Jesus Christ our God and Saviour. Don't think that waiting means wasting. Not a chance. Waiting means you position yourself thankfully and prayerfully, and then get busy and do what God called you for in ministry.
Yes, you keep putting yourself in position for meeting a special person. But your focus must remain on your calling. The only way you will ever know who to marry is by cultivating your calling in Christ. Jesus does not call us to marriage or singleness per se. He calls us to love Him, to spread His Gospel, and to die to self and follow Him. THAT is the call. In a word, the call is DISCIPLESHIP. And, regardless of your marital status, marriage cannot ever be more important than discipleship. And the geographic details of your call will vary from mine. Nevertheless, now is the day to serve God and worship Him and love Him.
Love those He puts in your path. Feed the sheep with the truth of Jesus Christ, who is the Bread of Heaven and the Living Water. In 1 Corinthians 7:7, Paul calls marriage and singleness "gifts". They are not the call, but gifts. The Call is always discipleship. And discipleship is always an individual experience before the Lord. Discipleship cannot be blocked by marriage or family or past or current condition. As you read through 1 Corinthians 7 you realize the key is not found in marriage OR singleness. The key is this,
Yes, you keep putting yourself in position for meeting a special person. But your focus must remain on your calling. The only way you will ever know who to marry is by cultivating your calling in Christ. Jesus does not call us to marriage or singleness per se. He calls us to love Him, to spread His Gospel, and to die to self and follow Him. THAT is the call. In a word, the call is DISCIPLESHIP. And, regardless of your marital status, marriage cannot ever be more important than discipleship. And the geographic details of your call will vary from mine. Nevertheless, now is the day to serve God and worship Him and love Him.
Love those He puts in your path. Feed the sheep with the truth of Jesus Christ, who is the Bread of Heaven and the Living Water. In 1 Corinthians 7:7, Paul calls marriage and singleness "gifts". They are not the call, but gifts. The Call is always discipleship. And discipleship is always an individual experience before the Lord. Discipleship cannot be blocked by marriage or family or past or current condition. As you read through 1 Corinthians 7 you realize the key is not found in marriage OR singleness. The key is this,
1 Corinthians 7:171599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
17 But as God hath distributeth to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk: and so ordain I in all Churches.
God bless,
Pastor Curtis
No comments:
Post a Comment