new attack on singleness
Debbie Maken's book, Getting Serious about Getting Married, is bound to cause a stir.
She outright condemns the current dating schema and theological approach thereof. She debunks "myths" such as "Jesus is all you need" and "being single equals knowing and serving God better." (I fully agree with the former statement. I would agree with the latter statement if it read "it is generally easier to know and serve God as a single rather than being married." See 1 Corinthians 7.)
I haven't read it yet but it serves to be a great conversation starter.
Thanks to Elizabeth for sending me the review.
2 comments:
From what I have learned, seen, and have experienced in my own life, it has shown to be true that it is easier to know God better when single. When in a dating relationship my focus is not set on Christ, His will, and the truth of how much He loves me, but it is on the person I am dating, what they would like from me, and I long to be loved and appriciated by them. My relationship with Christ seems to be put in second place instead of my first priority. If I were married right now I wouldn't be able to serve other people in the church as much as I do now because I would be "worried" about the house and my family. As followers and children of God, I think we tend to take singleness for granted. We spend most of our singleness wishing we were dating someone or married, but we don't realize that God is waiting to date us and have a deep and intimate relationship with Him right now. The times when I am 100% content in my singleness and working extra hard on my relationship with Christ by spending time with Him and in His word, those are the times when He (or Satan-I'm not sure who) tests/tempts me with dating relationships, even though I clearly do not desire that before my Lord. He knows my weakness, and He will use our weaknesses to glorify Him in the end, but we can not over come them with out God's strength. Real contentment comes when you focus your heart and your mind on things above rather than things on earth (look at Col.3:2). For me, the key to it all, or the lesson I have learned, is that I need to keep my focus on Him, His word, His will, and in His timing He will provide. My goal is to become more like Christ so I can be the best for the person God has for me. That person may never come, but at least I know I am the best For God.
This is rather interesting considering, the Lord left me single for some time to give me an undivided heart and to heal brokenness. Hmmm... I think personal experience of many Christ followers will trump what this woman has stated in her book.
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