Single

Since other people have been quoting my pastor, I though it was time I did.


God promises those of you who remain single in Christ blessings that are better than the blessings of marriage and children, and he calls you to display, by the Christ-exalting devotion of your singleness, the truths about Christ and his kingdom that shine more clearly through singleness than through marriage and child rearing. The truths, namely,

1) That the family of God grows not by propagation through sexual intercourse, but by regeneration through faith in Christ;

2)That relationships in Christ are more permanent, and more precious, than relationships in families (and, of course, it is wonderful when relationships in families are also relationships in Christ; but we know that is often not the case);

3)That marriage is temporary, and finally gives way to the relationship to which it was pointing all along: Christ and the church—the way a picture is no longer needed when you see face to face;

4)That faithfulness to Christ defines the value of life; all other relationships get their final significance from this. No family relationship is ultimate; relationship to Christ is.

Take heed here lest you minimize what I am saying and do not hear how radical it really is. I am not sentimentalizing singleness to make the unmarried feel good. I am declaring the temporary and secondary nature of marriage and family over against the eternal and primary nature of the church. -John Piper

It's been almost a full year since I lost my previous job. Since that time God has healed my soul from a hurt that started all the way back in 2000, when I decided not to go back to college. I was paralyzed by fear and self depreciation. I still feel like I made the right decision by not going back to college, but it was a set back, but a set back that allowed me to slowly trust God over my ability. It kind of makes me sick to think of the 7 years it's taken for me to grasp what God was teaching, but I have taken so many good side steps along the way, I really wouldn't have it any other way.

For 9 weeks my pastor has been doing a series on marriage and the correlation of the church and Christ. As a single person this study has been fascinating. Since I don't have an inside perception it's been really enlightening to learn about it through "perfect glasses", that is the Bible. If my expectations weren't already high, they are now. Not that I expect a perfect marriage, but I do expect one that emulates Christ's love and that's hard enough. Through these messages I walk out of church every week and appreciate my singleness a little bit more. This last message, specifically about singleness, isn't any different, in fact I appreciate it even more. God has given me a gift and a time to focus my love and life on Christ. The question I have to ask myself is why would I ask for another love?