"With One Voice"
Ok, while on my mini personal retreat, I am reading With One Voice (Alex Chediak). Following chapter 1 which discusses the cultural influences on why/when/how men and women currently marry compared with 100 years ago, Chediak argues the "normalcy" of marriage. After discussing eight different ways that singles usually approach marriage, he says, "...if you are single, you should be giving yourself with particular earnestness to ministry that extends the kingdom of God. You have the freedom to go and come as you please, but you should use it not for yourself, but for others to the glory of God. You are a gift to God's church. Use it well, as one who will have to give an account."
Wow. How often do I see my single years not only as a trial but also to do what I please? Even while doing all of the "good things" and being involved in various church-related activities my vision for how I serve has become increasingly narrow. What about what I am doing is furthering the Gospel? Am I being purposeful in my time as a single? Am I seeking opportunities to serve? Am I evaluating the areas where I currently serve to discern if God would have me continue in them?
I'm not just referring to moving to a far-away country to give your life away: how can we use these days (months and years) for the glory of God? What ways is God calling us to increase both in maturity and wisdom as well as in service to Him, His church and the lost? And if we had to currently give an account to the Lord for our actions...what would He say?
(please feel free to leave your thoughts, comments, suggestions. i'm especially curious to hear thoughts from married ppl on their encouragement as well as other singles and their current experiences, ideas and thoughts.)
2 comments:
I decided to stop by your blog site and was very much encouraged to read this blog regarding service during our single years. You brought to light an important point: the fact that even as we wrestle with our singleness how we do in fact spend much of our time doing “as [we] please.”
I’m reminded of a sermon from years ago dealing with Christian service. The pastor said that the day we come before our Lord Jesus Christ and see Him face to face, beholding all His glory, we are going to wish that we had done so much more for him. We are really going to feel the loss of how much free time we didn’t spend for Him. He encouraged us to not wait ‘til that day, to get on our feet now and “make the best of our time” here on earth.
With regards to your vision for how you serve becoming “increasingly narrow,” as we all seek God’s direction in this pursuit of wider opportunities, let us take to heart that only God knows if he has “wider” plans for any of us to serve here on earth. I would encourage my brothers and sisters that even as we take on more ambitious desires to serve more, that in the mean time, we cherish the opportunities we have in what we are serving right now and excel in them with all our heart. Who knows when the Lord will call us to His presence, (today, tomorrow, next week); let us cherish these, though they may seem small, and excel in them as if they were the last things we would do for Christ on earth. What if, however, God indeed has a longer life for us in store? Then let us be faithful in these “little” things and the Lord will certainly “set us over much.”
Many blessings to every one.
In Christ’s Service,
Nathaniel J.
Hey Nathaniel!
Good to hear from you! How's everything in S. Fl? =) I would love to listen to that sermon if you could tell me how to go about getting ahold of it!
Thanks for stoppin by! =)
Jennifer
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