1 Corinthians 7:25-28 

²⁵ Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. ²⁶ Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. ²⁸ But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

Planter’s Box

A video was circulated online about a foolish drunkard. The man and his companions were passing by planter’s box at The Counter Restaurant. Whatever thought he had, the stupid drunkard stopped and kicked the planter’s box. Then he lifted the planter’s box and tried to smash at the building but his feet slipped, lost his balance and fall on the ground; and the planter’s box at The Counter Restaurant released its counter strike. What? It covered the drunkard with dirt.

Such undesirable situation practically shows that careless behavior can be detrimental and not very pleasant. Sometimes, we’ve got into troubles because of our careless attitudes, reckless decisions and oblivious activities. Do you have any regrets in life because you did something that you were not supposed to do?

Let’s reflect on Psalm 91:14-16, ¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. ¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. ¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

We cannot turn back the hands of time; we cannot travel backwards in time into the past. We may regret something we should have done. We painfully learn from what we consider as reckless or hasty judgment on our part. The Lord knows our carelessness. Sadly, we can mindlessly make mistakes and regrets.

If we love him, the Lord promises to rescue us. But, will he protect us from unexpected results of our mistake? To embrace his promises, we remain in him.

1.  Remain

²⁵ Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. ²⁶ Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 

Previously, Apostle Paul advised the unmarried, widows, married couples, including the slaves to remain in the situation they’re in when God called them. And the virgins, he also advised that it is good for a man to remain as he is. He did not say that it is the better or the best choice to remain a virgin though.

Meaning: Both to remain a virgin and to be married are good personal choices because of the present crisis. What was the present crisis all about?

Previously, Apostle Paul addressed a problem of immorality in the church. The church in Corinth was divided on how to deal with their problem. They were not advancing the mission purpose of the church. The transformational work of Christ among believers was not shining brightly in the Corinthian church.

When Apostle Paul suggested that it is good for a man to remain as he is, he implied that virgins can focus on the furtherance of the kingdom of God; instead of spending much of precious time in searching for someone to marry.

Lottie Moon

The name Lottie Moon has become a legend in the international missions.

Lottie Moon was missionary to China. Actually, Lottie Moon followed the example of her youngest sister Edmonia Moon, who went to mission in 1872. They’re both single ladies. Edmonia (Ed) was very sick; she left China mission for good. But Lottie Moon persevered from 1873 to her death in 1912. While in China, she sent letters to the Western world and challenged Christians to support missions. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions was named for her.

Lottie Moon was one of the great servants of God who focused on storing up much eternal treasures in heaven for themselves and never married. Who may presume that serving the Lord as a single person could be lonely? Someone wrote that Lottie Moon experienced difficult hardship in missions but she was driven by the joy of knowing she was fulfilling God’s purpose on her life.

Together, let us meditatively reflect on what it declares in Psalm 100:1-3:

¹Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. ²Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. ³ Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

To worship God is the ultimate goal of our existence. We exist to worship God, can you agree? God saved us to worship him with gladness. Ordinary idea of worship is to sing praises of what the Lord has done in our life. Praising God with song as expression of gladness, gratitude and appreciation of God’s work in our life should be frequent on our part every single day. Think about it for a while!

Parents praise their children when children did something worthy of praise. Children praise their parents when parents did something worthy of praise.

Friends praise their friends when friends did something worthy of praise. What is something you did that your parents, siblings, children, friends praise about you?

Regularly, we gather every week to praise and worship the Lord for the many great things he did in our life throughout the week or in the past. We come very early; we do not want to miss the congregational singing of praises to the Lord. When we praise the Lord gladly and thankfully, we encourage each other.

Worship of God as congregation is more meaningful when we personally internalize the good works of Christ in our life. To value every part of the worship service is also transformational work of Christ in us. Seek inspiration of his Holy Spirit, and you’ll be glad, you arrived early. May the Lord inspire us all so that praises and gratitude from our hearts be frequently released with gladness!

2.  Release

²⁷ Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 

How do you interpret this? Is it command from the Lord? What do you say?

Apostle Paul said earlier, “I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.” Does it mean that it’s just Apostles Paul’s personal opinion? If you can accept that Apostle Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit, his judgment or his idea had been inspired by the Lord. Advice that Apostle Paul gave had its origin from the Lord and not just his personal opinion. How strong can you accept that?

Does the Lord forbid anyone who chooses to be married? No! Therefore, to remain a virgin or single all their life should be their personal decision. No one should be forced to decide which social status they prefer to have: to be single or to be married. When we decide, we must pray to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s reflect on Ephesians 2:10, ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created  in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Our personal purpose could be practical needs when we trusted Christ as our Lord and Savior. Don’t you know? Have you heard that from eternity before the beginning of time, the Lord had already planned the good works he deemed as the best situation for you and me? Can you sincerely accept that reality?

Search your heart now. Try not to deceive yourself with human logic. Can you agree that the Lord has designed the most wonderful life you can ever have? If by faith we believe that we are God’s handiwork, it is necessary that we should follow the path he designed for us, right? By faith in Christ, we do the good works that God prepared in advance for us to do, even in situations we didn’t dream of.

Daniel

The Israelites were exiled in Babylon because they disobeyed the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon ordered a selection of young men of noble birth to serve in the palace. Let us reflect on what it narrated in Daniel 1:-6-9, ⁶ Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. ⁷ The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. ⁸ But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. ⁹ Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel.

Eventually, Daniel and his friends became prominent officials in Babylon. Before the exile, their names were not known in Israel. Can you accept that it was God’s plan for Daniel and his friends to be successful in Babylon but not in Israel? Someone said, “If you are simply ordinary, not rich, and no connection, you won’t succeed in your place of birth. Going abroad is better option for you.”

Daniel and his friends were born of noble birth, but they have relatives who were more prominent in Israel. God allowed them to be exiled for their success.

Together, let’s reflect personally what King David prayed in Psalm 25:4-5,

⁴Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. ⁵Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Pray for godly wisdom if you’ll remain in the same situation or go abroad.

King David could have remained as shepherd but he chose to obey the Lord. He trusted that godly path is the best life he could ever experience. When no soldier from Israel was willing to face the giant Goliath, David grabbed that opportunity to prove his faith in God. Can you accept that God himself gave David the courage and ability when he defeated the giant Goliath? How about Daniel and friends?

Daniel resolved to follow the ways of the Lord; he hoped that the Lord had great plan for him; he did not to defile himself, even with royal food and wine. His testimony encouraged his friends to follow his practice of faith in the Lord.

Everyone around is observing us deliberately or even maliciously. God has great purpose for each believer. The Lord designed series of challenges to help us grow in our faith. Be attentive when opportunity comes. Pray for stronger faith in the Lord.  Pray also for godly wisdom and reconsider your best option.

3.  Reconsider

²⁸ But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

If you wish to remain a virgin or if you wish to be married, both choices are acceptable to God. The virgin has freedom to follow wherever the Lord leads him and not concerned of leaving behind a wife or children. Well, it’s possible that those who wish to be married had seriously considered what King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4:9-11, ⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: ¹⁰ If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. ¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?

No matter what social status we prefer: to remain single or to be married, there will always be challenges and difficult concerns to be encountered somehow. Apostle Paul warned married people against possible troubles in life. Likewise, he warned and wanted to spare the virgin from many troubles of married people.

When Apostle Paul wrote that he wanted to spare the virgin from troubles in this life that married people face, was it based from his personal experience? If he was talking from personal experience, it is implied that he was previously married, and he personally experienced those troubles of married people; so, he warned and wanted to spare the virgin those troubles in this life.

Social Media

The advancement of technology, especially social media, may have helped many people to express their disappointment with their spouses. Others have used comic strips to illustrate and make their personal troubles more humorous. One comics strip featured an old man Earl and old woman Opal.

In many households, the wives attend to almost all household works. The same is true with the old woman Opal. She told her old man, “Earl, today would be a good day for you to clean up the garage!” Earl answered, “That’s a lot of work!” Opal added, “Whether a job is big or small, do it right or not all!” “I love that quote!” Earl said. “Good! I hope it helps!” Opal smiled. “Oh, it does!” Earl added. What do you think happened next? Did Earl go and clean up the garage?

Yeah! You are right. Earl chose not to clean up the garage at all. What he did was he took his pillow and rested on the sofa and thankfully said to himself: “I never realized I had a choice!” What moral lesson can we learn here?

Don’t give another option to lazy individuals. And that is just one of the many troubles of married people. One is working, another is lazing or relaxing. A mother said, “I’m glad that I have one child. Imagine if I have a dozen children? That would be so much work on my part!” Truly, married life is very challenging?

Can you accept that God allows troubles in life for us to practice faith in him and experience more of his grace and love? Greatness does not come from easy life. Great love and care of God is revealed during difficult times.

Nevertheless, whatever we choose in life: to remain single or married, life on earth will always have trouble. Someone said, “Life on earth offers more sorrows than laughter!” Have you personally observed it in your life?

Reflect on what it reminds us in Ephesians 5:18-20, ¹⁸ Be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you wish a life filled with singing and thankfulness of heart? The secret is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

So, even when everyone around you is very slow to help in the doing his/her chores, you are not bothered because your heart is filled with patience and joyful peace. You will be kind even to oblivious individuals. What do you think?

As we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded of God’s great love. While we were still sinner and rebellious to him, God demonstrated his love for us when he sent his one and only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross so that by faith in him, we are freed from the influence of sin of procrastination or laziness.

May the Lord fill us always with his Holy Spirit for us to love him, follow his righteous ways and have gladness, peace and patience in everything we do!

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