Promise
Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 34:9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 10b But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
Psalm 37:3a Trust in the Lord, and do good.
4 Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Challenge
II Kings 18:1 Now it came to pass… that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did.
4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
5 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6 For he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.
7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
II Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Opportunity
I Corinthians 7:32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
Prayer
Psalm 31:1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
14 But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.
15a My times are in thy hand….
19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
MEMORY VERSE: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. —Psalm 31:24
CENTRAL THOUGHT: God loves all His children and desires us all to lead happy, fulfilled, and contented lives in His presence, exemplifying to all those who know us that we trust in a God who does not leave us wanting. He strengthens us. We can have joy and contentment as a statement to others that we lift our Heavenly Father up above any other fleshly desire or “good thing.”
LESSON BACKGROUND
We humans experience many seasons in our lives. It seems that the natural course would be to grow up, fall in love, marry, serve God together, raise a family, and enjoy many years before passing on to eternity. However, we realize this path is not laid out for every person as we consider the population as a whole. Some feel like they may never marry, some lose companions along the way, and some find themselves in an unequally yoked marriage that feels very lonely.
These situations can be labeled as “less than ideal” by the general population, and it is a sensitive topic to discuss because many who find themselves in one of these “less than ideal” situations feel inferior or feel like no one understands. The first is completely untrue. God created us all and He makes no mistakes—there is nothing inferior about us, regardless of the life situation that may be presenting itself at the moment. We can trust that truth and trust Him that He has prepared a path for each of us to walk in this life. The promises in the Bible are for all mankind—He is no respecter of persons (or situation). If we find ourselves walking the single life, may we focus less on our state and have a heart of prayer similar to the prayer in Psalms 31. May we hope in the Lord and claim Him as our God. May we cling to Him for all we need and want and live victoriously despite our circumstances. He fulfills like no other!
—Sis. Ranelle Moles, Tryon, OK
DISCUSSION:
- He Shall Bring It to Pass: What are four directives given for the conditional promise that God will work for you?
- An Example: What qualities did Hezekiah have for the Lord to be with him and prosper his life?
- No Other Gods or HighThing: Why did Hezekiah break the brazen serpent in pieces? Who must be lifted up in our hearts?
- Paul’s Viewpoint: What is the difference between a married and unmarried person?
COMMENTS AND APPLICATION
God understands everything about us and knows our hearts. Others may or may not be able to give a comforting word when we find ourselves in a difficult place in life, but God’s promises carry us through. One thing to remember is that the “single life” is only one of the many situations that may arise in life that we feel is “difficult, unfair, or unbearable.” In reality, God has prepared a plan of victory for His children that spans all difficulties. As we learn to “trust, delight, and commit” to His way, we find the secret to the deep wells of joy He has for the sheep of His pasture that satisfies every longing. May we sincerely pray, “Lord, my times are in thy hand, and I am well pleased that they are so; they could not be in a better hand. Thy will be done” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary).
The conditional promises in Psalms 37 are wrapped up with the command to “do good.” Paul reminds us that it is easier to be about the work of the Lord as a single person. We know God strengthens all who work for Him, but there is a freedom and energy in the single life, regardless of age, that those who are given the responsibility of marriage and/or family do not have. However, having been told this myself as a single person, I know this fact can lack in comfort, and we can lose sight of what it truly means to serve God with ALL our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
I feel impressed to share how God dealt with me through the story of Hezekiah when I began to focus more on my desire for a godly marriage and less on the desire to further the Kingdom of God. Hezekiah’s example was to eliminate anything that was lifted up to be worshiped other than the One True God. We can easily see how images (idols) shouldn’t be worshiped, but what about the brazen serpent? Did not God command Moses to lift it up on a pole for the children of Israel to look upon and be healed (Numbers 21:8-9)? The same question could be asked of a godly marriage: did not God ordain that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife (Matthew 19:4-6)? The answer to both questions is “yes.” However, the danger is when we begin to “offer incense” to something God set up as “good.” Are we desiring and holding up something high above God that diminishes Him as the One who satisfies our every longing? Are we lifting Him above all our imaginations of what we think should happen in our lives? When we submit all our desires and thoughts to Christ, we find He fulfills our heart more than we could ask or think (Ephesians 3:16-20). He would have us learn contentment in Him in each stage of life, so we can deal with future difficulties with the same victory. May He always be high and lifted up!
—Sis. Ranelle Moles, Tryon, OK
REFLECTIONS
When contemplating this subject, the verse in Philippians 4:11 came to my mind. “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Most young people envision themselves being a spouse, becoming a parent, and later on a grandparent, but that’s not always providence. God in His mercy blesses and teaches “the single person” how to be content, while living in a world of “couples.”
In order to acquire this contentment, one’s heart, mind, and attitude must be readjusted. Jesus stated in Matthew 6:33, “…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Once God becomes your primary focus, He provides insight and guidance on how to fill the desire of being loved, needed, respected, and protected. He wants the “single person’s” life to be as rewarding, fulfilling, and productive as the “married person.”
Some suggestions on finding contentment after seeking the Lord first:
- Choose to be happy by counting your blessings and maintaining a positive attitude.
- Show yourself to be friendly. You must be a friend to have a friend.
- Think about and do for others. Your actions can make a difference to others and yourself.
- Take care of yourself—soul, mind, and body. Meditate on things that are edifying. Be careful with your selection of friends, reading, listening materials, etc. Look your best by being neat and healthy.
- Find a mentor with whom you can laugh, talk, seek advice, and pray.
There will be times when you are alone and a “What if?” thought comes. That’s when we stand on the Lord’s promise in Hebrew 13:5. “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Since God is faithful to be our constant companion, we are thus content.
—Sis. Gertrude Lounds, Merriam, KS
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