Me, Lord, Single? Part One

"God has made us for Himself, and our hearts can never know rest and perfect satisfaction until they find it in Him." - Hannah Hurnard

It seems like the older I get, the more people around me are getting married. Actually, it's hard to go anywhere without seeing couples, old and young (and some way too young!) spending time together and enjoying one another. As Valentines day quickly approaches, I know I'll be seeing even more of them with the addition of roses, hearts, and candy! Everything seems to be lost in a sea of pink, red, and white...

Another holiday...

Another year with the status: single...


...But am I really single?

Let's take a look at what the word "single" means.

Merriam Webster's online dictionary defines the adjective "single" first as "unmarried." This is an obvious. I do fall under that category of "single." However, the second definition caught my eye: "unaccompanied by others, lone, sole." Hmmm. Doesn't sound like me.

Although I don't have the earthly love and attention of a man, I do have the undeniable, incomprehensible, unconditional love of God.

But will I allow that to be enough for me? Will it satisfy me?

One time, long ago, Jesus choose to leave Judea, the area in which He was ministering, and travel to Galilee. Now Judea was near the south of Israel and Galilee was near the north. You may be thinking that since Israel is not that big of a country, this trip wouldn't be too much trouble. However, we have to remember there were no means of transportation at this time except for traveling by donkey or most likely on foot. Also, there's something else we have to remember: the Jewish people hated Samaritans, and Samaria sat smack-dab in the middle of Judea and Galilee. This presented a problem for the Jews which they were determined to solve by taking a much longer, much more dangerous trip over mountains and deserts and rivers, risking their lives just so that they would not have to place one sandal on Samarian soil!

But do you think Jesus was going to make this trip?

Nope!

Let's look at John 4:4 and following, "And He (Jesus) had to pass through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar...and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well."

Did you catch those words "had to pass through Samaria." No He didn't! He could have taken the long route! He could have saved Himself from the upturned noses and disdained glances of those who despised the Samaritans. But no! Jesus was on a mission. He was walking from Judea straight through Samaria to Galiee because He had a divine appointment with a thirsty Samaritan woman.

Let's see what happens:

"There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, 'Give Me a drink.' For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?' (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
"Jesus said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, "Give Me a drink," you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.' She said to Him, 'Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?' Jesus answered and said to her, 'Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.'
"The woman said to Him, 'Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.' He said to her, 'Go call your husband and come here.' The woman answered Him and said, 'I have no husband.' Jesus said to her, 'You have correctly said, "I have no husband;" for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.'...The woman said to Him, 'I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.'

"Jesus said to her, 'I who speak to you am He.'"

I love this story! It is such a beautiful picture of Christ's heart for the lost! Jesus had to pass through Samaria because there was a woman whose life was so empty; a woman who was trying to quench all the thirsts in her life through relationship after relationship, but never finding satisfaction. Jesus offered her the Living Water: Himself, that she would drink and be forever satisfied.

Jesus offers us that same Living Water. He says in Matthew 11:28, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

If you are single and reading this, Jesus is asking you, He is commanding you because He desires to grant you salvation, to come to Him and find your satisfaction in Him alone.

If you are married, He requires the same, for no human spouse can fulfill you.

Only in Jesus is found "the fullness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians1:23)

Let Him satisfy you. Choose to obey Psalm 37:4 which says, "Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart."

Remember the words of one young man, "There is One that is more in love with you than any man can ever be. Your are incredibly valuable to Him, and you never need question His commitment to you. He thinks you're beautiful in the morning without your makeup, and He'll think our just as beautiful when you're 80. He is Christ, and you should treat Him with the loyalty and respect of a Husband. There is no need to attract a man to you - Christ will lead the right man to you, and when someone that loves you as much as Christ arranges a marriage, you may rest assured it will be far better than anything you could have done. You are HIS - be content there."

"It is a safe thing to trust Him to fulfill the desire which He creates." - Amy Carmichael, missionary to India.