Undistracted devotion to the Lord.

1 Corinthians 7:32-35, But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly, and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

There seems to be this pressure in many churches that singles are some kind of abnormal life form and need to be married in order to be useful to God. Paul has the opposite view, that those of us who are married can easily fall into the trap of putting our spouse ahead of the Lord. It’s not some kind of restraint, but it should make us stop and think about where or devotion to the Lord is, whether single or married!

Lord, I want to keep my eyes on You and Your priorities; thank You for the blessings that You give me in marriage.