Once, I heard a godly friend of mine, whom I looked up to, say that her purpose in life was to be married and to have kids. Shock was the only emotion I remember feeling. There are death and sickness in this world. There are poverty and brokenness. Jesus said to go heal the sick and free His people from bondage.
This last week, attending a memorial service, having a friend go through brain surgery for the second time, and watching our nation dying after the Presidential election, passed like a trance before my eyes. There is more to life than being married and having kids. God did not put us on earth to merely be, to merely find our soul mate or to merely have babies. We were put on earth to be a flame as well as a breath to the world.
My heart is burdened for my own generation, for my own friends, for my own family. There is a purpose for everyone. We were no accident. Understand that God’s pursuit of our lives is not to have it scudded into the wind. There is more to life. There is more to us. Put the focus on becoming the salt of the world rather than finding the perfect mate. Pursue God with every being, every heartbeat, every thought and every second. Learn His Word, it will explain His Will and purpose for us.
Yes, there is more to life than marriage and children. There is something bigger and better - God and the obedience to what He wants completed.
1 comment:
The Beauty of Christian Marriage
How shall we ever be able adequately to describe the happiness of that marriage which the Church arranges, the Sacrifice strengthens, upon which the blessing sets a seal, at which angels are present as witnesses, and to which the Father gives His consent? For not even on earth do children marry properly and legally without their fathers' permission.
How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one in hope, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the religion they practice. They are as brother and sister, both servants of the same Master. Nothing divides them, either in flesh or in spirit. They are, in very truth, two in one flesh; and where there is but one flesh there is also but one spirit. They pray together, they worship together, they fast together; instructing one another, encouraging one another, strengthening one another. Side by side they visit God's church and partake of God's Banquet; side by side they face difficulties and persecution, share their consolations. They have no secrets from one another; they never shun each other's company; they never bring sorrow to each other's hearts. Unembarrassed they visit the sick and assist the needy. They give alms without anxiety; they attend the Sacrifice without difficulty; they perform their daily exercises of piety without hindrance. They need not be furtive about making the Sign of the Cross, nor timorous in greeting the brethren, nor silent in asking a blessing of God. Psalms and hymns they sing to one another, striving to see which one of them will chant more beautifully the praises of their Lord. Hearing and seeing this, Christ rejoices. To such as these He gives His peace. Where there are two together, there also He is present; and where He is, there evil is not.
These, then, are the thoughts which the Apostle in that brief expression of his has left for our consideration. Recall them to your mind, if ever there should be need to do so. Use them to strengthen yourself against the bad example which certain women give you. In no other way than this are Christians permitted to marry -- and, even if they were, it would not be the prudent thing to do.
Tertullian (born about 150 A.D.)
Post a Comment