Singles

‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing...’ Proverbs 18:22 NKJV

Single people need three things. First, they need acceptance. ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing.’ But what if you can’t find ‘a good thing’? By placing all our emphasis on marriage and family, the church can make single people feel like a spare part. ‘God places the lonely in families…’ (Psalm 68:6 NLT) So let’s include them, motivate them and make them feel at home. Secondly, they need healing. People who have never been married or who’ve been through divorce don’t need to be treated like second-class citizens. Regardless of who’s ‘guilty’ or who’s ‘innocent’ in a separation, hearts need to be mended and lives need to be reclaimed. We’re in the ‘oil and wine business’. The Good Samaritan poured oil, which speaks of spiritual empowerment, and wine, which speaks of joy, into the badly injured man’s wounds. And Jesus said that we are to ‘…Go and do likewise.’ (Luke 10:37 NIV) Thirdly, single people need hope. God brought Eve to Adam (Genesis 2:22-23). Let’s encourage our single friends not to be driven by loneliness and unmet needs, but to be led by God. If you are single, here is a prayer: ‘Lord, reassure me that I’m believing according to Your will. Teach me the difference between what I must pursue and what I must wait on You for. They say You are never late. In these days of waiting, keep me strong in faith. Don’t let me stop short of my blessing. Remind me that I must not throw away my confidence for it will be richly rewarded. In Christ’s name. Amen.’