Last week, guest blogger, Deb Bostwick shared some really thought-provoking perspectives on Singleness in advance of one of the studies we’re once again hoping and planning to offer during our Summer4Singles Curriculum Series in July and August. It has an interestingly laid out title; “Single. Dating. Engaged. Married.” and was written by a friend of our Single Adult Ministries named Ben Stuart. (If you’ve not yet had the chance to read Deb’s blog or would like to review it, you may (should!) do so through this link.)
Deb’s thoughts perfectly set up a teaching from Ben that we’ll be featuring this week at our First Friday event. He’ll be talking about The Gift of Singleness – what God had in mind when He created us individually; one at a time and allows every human being on the planet to experience – whether for a season or a lifetime. I hope you’ll be able to join us for this month’s relaunch of our First Friday events. We’ll be meeting this Friday (June 4), in-person and indoors at the Warehouse venue on our Vista campus. We’ll begin the evening with a group mixer/meet & greet called Connections at 6:30 and then begin our First Friday event with worship at 7:30.
For many, it’s hard to think of singleness as a gift. Culture and society (including friends and family) are fond of asking some form of the questions, “So, have you met anyone yet?” and “Is there a certain special someone in your life” and frankly it’s understandable that most singles either find these questions extremely distasteful or have learned the art of temporary deafness to them and to offer grace to the well-meaning offender.
It’s often not that single people wouldn’t desire to share their life with another. The vast majority of adults in present culture acknowledge that they would, in fact, one day like to be married. Most even wonder from time to time why God has kept them in this state. They’d genuinely like to believe and live out the adage that ‘Jesus is enough,’ but are frequently reminded of the Genesis 2:18 passage (…it is not good for the man to be alone).
But as Ben shares, “What we want is not always what’s best for us. What’s best for us we don’t always value and appreciate.” It may in some ways be a “timing thing: but realistically, it’s also much more.
Single; individual; unique; every one of us; His masterpiece. In the Greek; his poiema; His handiwork. Though present culture and society don’t always portray singleness in such a positive light, as Christians we are all called, first and foremost to identify in this way, regardless of our relationship status. The King James Version of the Bible uses the term ‘workmanship.’ In other words, each of us, as individuals, is God’s poetry in motion.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV).
As modern-day disciples of Jesus, he calls us to be the light of the world. (Mt 5:14).
He’s also called us to ‘let our light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven (Mt 5:16).
Jesus calls us to stand out from the rest of the world by the good deeds we perform. Paul also characterized redeemed believers as those who are eager to do what is good (Titus 2:14).
As you think about and consider your identity as a “single,” imagine the goodness of a God who not only offers salvation as a gift but also creates us one at a time; one who makes us new creatures in Christ who are able to perform good works that he has orchestrated beforehand. We are to perform these good works, first and foremost as individuals and then as a part of the larger body of Christ.
In this light, may each of us begin to see our singleness as intentional by God, whether for a season or a lifetime; as a call for our attention and a way to secure an unattracted devotion to Him and exclaim, “What a gift! Thank you, Lord!”
Right here with you,
Terry