Met up with YongJie and Ann for a while during my break to talk and discuss about the yesterday's PRC event. The discussion slowly drifted to BGR since today is valentine's day. I realised that my thoughts about valentine's day had became different from the past years; this could due to the fact that I'd began to understand the kingdom's purpose of being single or married. That is be it singleness or married, the purpose is to be able to live as a kingdom's citizen - blameless and holy.
Hence, in 1 Cor 7, Paul mentioned that it is better to stay single, like him, because the singles would be concerned about the Lord's affair, be able to devote to the Lord in both body and spirit. But if, the singles cannot control themselves, in the face of temptation ( be it lust or romance), they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn in passion; so that as married ppl, they can be blameless and holy before the Lord.
Despite the very clear words in the bible, Christians are still hoping for the right 'one' so that they can serve God together; I was once too, hoping for romance... then struggle to reason it myself to whether I'm gifted to be single or not...
But the struggle kinda subside, for me, after the Ministry Matter.. after I heard this short sharing from John Chapman, a 75 yr old single evangelist...
He was asked when did he decide to be single. And his answer is simple : "I'd never decide to be single. I just didn't think about it..."
This taught me a lot and really geared my thinking! Why do i spend so much time and effort to think for MYself..? ... then gotta myself caught up in self-pity.. then self-encouragement...!
Being a person saved into the kingdom of God, I should be able to say the same thing too, that I just didn't think abt BGR because my whole mind is filled w the Lord's affairs.. the kingdom issues.. of how to devote myself to the Lord wholly.
As for whether to married or stay single... why decide now? When it comes a man that cause you to fall into great temptation and drawing ur devotion from Lord, you will know that you need to get marry, for it is better to be married than to burn in passion. So why spend time struggling and deciding your martial status now, when the time can be more wisely used to struggle for some other thing?
Well... i guess, for me, spending this day with my fellow brothers and sisters is the best thus far.. because they will not ask me of when am i getting a boyfriend, rather, they had encouraged me to consider Christ...
2 comments:
It's true that many people have a misconception about singlehood and marriage, no thanks to our culture as chinese, and the endless media from the world's point of view.
But thank God for having shown us what it really should be like, from His revealed word, and even for the godly people we have to learn from too (both married and single).
Jia you~ Press on, not off! =P
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