1 CORINTHIANS 7
32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 7:32-35
1 CORINTHIANS 7 UNDIVIDED DEVOTION TO GOD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Since God is a God of order and not of chaos
He protects us from confusion by stipulating laws
If we follow his commands, we will not be anxious
He gives wisdom to all who aligns their will to his statutes
He expects undivided devotion as he gives steadfast love to us
Though we have roles to fulfill, we ought to prioritize our Lord.
In this letter, Paul admonishes them to be free from anxieties. He addresses the various concerns that people have depending on their situations in life. He mentions that the married men and women have more things to worry about because they ought to please their spouses. On the other hand, the single man or woman may be concerned only about how to please the Lord.
In his future letters, he reminds the Corinthian church that God is a God of order and not of confusion and that everything must be done decently and in order. Just reflect on how God created the world. There is a sequence he followed. In his wisdom, he knew exactly how things should go because he knew everything even before he created them. When Adam and Eve sinned, they disrupted the order that God initially planned for mankind to follow. So, humans have tendencies to be anxious and prioritize the “self” rather than God. Satan distracts us from undivided devotion to the Lord with so many things such as our roles in life and the things that we love in this world.
REFLECTION
- What might hinder us from giving God our undivided devotion?
