My heart is aching. It is aching for the men and women in our culture that do not understand their worth in this world. The worth that comes with the title of being sons and daughters to the Most High King. My heart aches that this culture has taken away from the sacrifice that was paid at such a high price for us to understand this worth. My heart aches because I, myself, was once the daughter that did not understand her worth. Not only does my heart ache, but I am starting to become angry. I have a righteous anger for the children of God that have been deceived by the enemy and are believing that it is acceptable to be treated in a way that isn’t pleasing to our Father. Specifically, I am speaking to the sons and daughters who are finding their identity and worth in romantic relationships.
As I was chatting with dear friends of mine about the boundary around the age their children would be able to date, they explained it to me in a beautiful way. We talked about the importance of dating for marriage, because if not it is a waste of time. We talked about first being grounded and mature in your relationship with Christ, because if not you are allowing someone in your life to take the place of God and speak into your identity that the Father, Himself was to build in you.
In today’s culture, the default answer to sex is yes, where it used to be no. If a man takes you on a date, it is with expectation that he is getting something out of this in return. A lot of times it doesn’t even look like a date for this expectation to be put into place, it looks like a text or a call late at night to “meet up and hang out”. I am disgusted with this culture and what it is teaching young sons and daughters. I am sorry that the church has been a disservice in teaching you your worth, and that we as a body have allowed the world to creep in. I want you to know that you are worth more than your body. Despite the culture teaching you it is your body and you can do what you want with it, Christ says that you are a temple. You are a dwelling place for Him to live. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own” 1 Corinthians 6:19
Sons and daughters, God calls you into relationship first with Him. While God said it is important for man to not be alone, He had first made man to be in relationship and communion with Him. The apostle Paul even says it is better to not be married because you will do even better things in your singleness than in your marriage. Meaning that you are solely in relationship with God and there is nothing stopping you or distracting your from that. I am not saying marriage is bad, it is a gift from God. Singleness is also a gift from God, though, and is to be treated as such. When you are single (not dating, dating, or engaged), your only obligation is to be in communion with the Father and to obey Him. After being rooted in your relationship with the Lord and grounded in your identity in Him, the process of dating and marriage is such a beautiful thing within His will.
I want to encourage both the sons and the daughters into holiness. God commands us to be holy and our perfect example of that is Jesus Christ. We are to reflect Christ in our thoughts, our decisions, and our actions. Sons of the Father you are called to be a leader. God has called you to be the head. Knowing who you are in Christ and being in constant communion with Him is essential to lead your wife. You are called to peruse the woman. This does not look like leaving a woman in confusion of where she stands with you, or a text to meet up with her. This looks like loving her as Christ loves the church. Spoiler alert: He gave His life for the church. He literally died to Himself. Daughters of the Father, you are called to be submissive to your husband. This looks like you trusting your husband in decision making, because He is being led by God. (HINT: this is why it is so important to make sure you are picking a husband that is in constant communion with the Lord). This also looks like you dying to self and what your flesh wants to obey God.
Know God. Know who you are to God. Know your worth. Know that The Lord’s banner over you is LOVE.
Sons and daughters, you are worthy. The one who is the most worthy of all praise calls you His!
