Daily Devotions
The Gift of Singleness
Reading for November 30th: 1 Corinthians 5-8
I want you to be free from anxieties... the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit.
1 Corinthians 7:32-34
The saint who is in a godly marriage can rightly call his or her partner a gift from God (Proverbs 18:22).
However, the single believer has just as much right to call his or her singleness as a gift. The apostle Paul claimed his single status as such (1 Corinthians 7:7). Why would Paul call singleness a gift?
One advantage singles have is the freedom to be a servant to others. While the married Christian has responsibilities at home that can hinder him or her from some opportunities to serve others, the single Christian is not constrained in that way.
This freedom can be used in a variety of ways. Anna devoted herself to worship and prayer night and day in the Temple (Luke 2:36-38). Paul travelled around the world preaching the gospel in dangerous places where Christ had not yet been proclaimed (Romans 15:18-21). Jeremiah was told not to marry so that he might devote himself to preaching to a stubborn people for over fifty years (Jeremiah 16:2). But we need look no farther than Jesus Christ Himself, who demonstrated what kind of focus can be achieved by a single man who was fully devoted to the Lord.
Father, we thank you for our unmarried brothers and sisters who have blessed and enriched our lives by their selfless service.
