Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
1 Corinthians 7:36-40 (NIV)
36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better. 39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
Whether people marry or not, what is the overriding issue here?
The overriding issue in this scripture is maintaining moral purity. It was obviously a problem back in Paul’s day and it remains a problem today. In order to remain morally pure, we need to keep our eyes and mind, and hearts focused on the Lord and His desire for our lives.
Dear Lord how we need your help to live pure lives. We know the results of impurity, it surrounds us daily. So many babies being born that are not loved or a consequence of love and worse yet so many abortions. Broken and hurt families have become a painful part of our society. Our world is full of many sexual diseases, many causing much death and pain. Our flesh is so weak we give up righteousness, peace, and true joy for mere moments of weakness. Father help us to focus on the plan you have for our lives and help us to teach our families the importance of moral purity. I pray, Father, for our communities to become stronger in preaching the wonderful rewards of moral purity, Amen
Today’s prayer submitted by Jo Schneider