March 18, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 19:10-12
OBSERVATIONS
Jesus describes singleness as a God-enabled calling.
He mentions the practice of having eunuchs for royal or religious purposes (for example, to guard the kings harem). These would either be men born without genitals (birth defect) or castrated (ouch).
Others choose singleness (not castration) to serve the kingdom, to devote themselves fully to God’s cause.
Jesus’ point is that it should be a calling, and that God can help people with it, if they accept the idea of singleness to serve the kingdom.
Paul describes this reality for himself in 1 Corinthians 7, though like Jesus he knows it is not for everyone.
Either way, single or married, life is hard, who’s to say whether it is better to be single or married?
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
Often those who are single wish that they could be married, while those who are married often wish they were single again. Why is it that so many people seek to be married and also divorced?
On the one hand, we seek marriage because we were made that way, even God affirmed that it was not good for us to be alone; and yet because of sin and our alienation from God and others, we now seek to fill the aching void with partners, only to discover that they do not, and cannot fill it.
Neither marriage not singleness can set our hearts at peace, only God and His kingdom, so that is what we should seek first.
We can seek it first married or single, but some will choose to do it one way or the other, others won’t have a choice.
But neither path is easy, everyone will need God’s help.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for the calling and help to seek You and Your kingdom first while married. May we both bless You and others in our partnership, and not expect each other to take Your place in our lives.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
How the topic came from divorce to not even marrying is an interesting one. It reminds me on when I do dishes badly, and it is pointed out to me. My reaction typically will be “fine then, I won’t do the dishes.” If marriage is hard, and failing at marriage and trying again becomes a sin, then perhaps the reaction of “lets not even try” is one that comes up.
Relationships can be complicated. They can be hard work. The alternative, being single, for the three reasons given by Jesus are also hard work. Working alone for the kingdom of God takes a certain personality, and a lot of patience and faith. Jesus mentioned earlier in this chapter about how things were meant to be at the beginning. Here he created man and woman to be in relationship. I don’t think that Jesus is saying that it is better not to be married. I do think that he is trying to encourage those who have chosen not to be married. The word to whom this section is given is to those who have chosen not to be married. I can skip to the next section because today’s verses do not apply to me.
I should encourage and support those who have chosen to remain single for the sake of the kingdom (do I even know anyone who fits the bill?) I pray that in spite of being married, that I can be useful in God’s kingdom.