Single in a Married World

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In the garden of Eden, Adam was single only a short time. It was not good that the man should be alone (Genesis 2:18). So God fashioned a helper that would be suitable for him.Many other passages affirm that marriage is the usual course for men and women.

Certainly marriage is not mandatory. Jesus was the perfect man and he remained unmarried. But his unique earthly mission would be temporary. It would not have been wise for Him to enter marriage, knowing His life would be taken, and that He would be taken back to heaven. Paul is another example of spiritual devotion. Single saints are in a unique position to serve the Lord without familial encumbrances (1 Corinthians 7:32, 33).

The congregation here has a number of new converts and a few other members who are unmarried. Along with the blessing of focused devotion comes also some added challenges. There are the feelings of loneliness, the danger of fornication, and often the inner questionings of whether their solo state will be prolonged. Our brothers and sisters deserve teaching and encouragement.

Friday evening we opened our home for a teaching and fellowship time. Joy, Lindsey, and Bonnie worked to provide a nice meal for us all. We sang a couple of songs in Swahili. With Charles translating for me, I shared a Bible lesson. Emphasis was given to the wisdom of looking for a potential mate only from among God’s people, and the need to remain pure in mind and body. We closed by discussing ways to avoid temptation and how to remain strong.

You may wish to share the following material with the young people where you worship. It is just an excerpt from my lesson.









Purity of Mind and Body

A. Matthew 5:27,28

 • Job 31:1,8,9 (cf. 2 Peter 2:14)
 • James 1:14,15

B. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

C. Genesis 39:7-16

D. 1 Corinthians 7:1,2

You have heard in our reports about how the recent rains have caused insects to swarm. We have been swatting flies and mosquitoes, eating grasshoppers, and sweeping up bug bodies and wings. So I thought I would share photos of a walking stick. What an amazing creature, and so large. Hey, if this guys eats bugs, he is more than welcome to stay!

George Jensen 2012

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