Complete Devotion to the Lord
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 7:25-35 (NASB)
25 Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. 26 I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. 29 But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; 30 and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; 31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.
32 But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 33 but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
SUMMARY
Paul mentions in this passage that though Jesus did not explicitly command the people, he shares his opinion on virgins staying unmarried and being married. He says that it is good to stay unmarried in the time of the present distress, but marrying is not a sin. However, since the time has been shortened, it is important to have God as the top priority no matter, whether they are single or married. The Corinthians are encouraged to remember to continue to please the Lord.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
It's not easy to know what the Corinthians’ present distresses were when the Apostle Paul sent the letter to them. But, he knew that the people would face some type of hardship in the near future and strongly emphasized the importance of pleasing God no matter what marital state the people were in.
It is true that I lose my focus and prioritize pursuing my own desires to please my husband, and furthermore, my children as a wife and a mother. Because I want my family to be happy and content, I am no doubt willing to sacrifice every bit of my life for them — my time, my money, my relationships and commitments. But, when I trace the trail, my family is my idol. I don't think Paul is saying that marriage is bad — it's not, it's great, it's important, it's a priority — but it's not THE priority, it's not everything, it's not the ultimate thing, and it can become an idol. So, don't let it become one.
APPLICATION
Even now, we are living in the present distress which have turned my
priorities upside down. A few things that I thought were so important in my life — my kids' activities, vacation plans, etc. — are replaced with
more family time and protection from the virus. I do not want my idols to define who I am or how I live. Nor do I want them to become the center of my life. How can I keep the kingdom of God as my highest
priority? There are many opportunities where help is needed regarding church ministries and I am going to pray for wisdom so that I can get closer to God by serving in God's kingdom, and continue to remind myself to please God.
PRAYER
Dear God, thank You for blessing me with a loving family. I pray that my heart for You will always be my top priority. Please help me to do what pleases You, Lord. Give me a heart to serve You wholeheartedly and make me a servant that serves You only to please You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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