What is Your Relationship Status: Single, Divorced or Married?

Article by Quiniece Sheppard

Greetings sisters: I ministered at a local church for their Women’s Day service a few  weeks ago and I wanted to share a little bit of the message with you .  With the New Year fast approaching, I pray that you will digest all the contents in this month’s article and ponder this information in your heart and act accordingly.  The message was titled “ What is Your Relationship status: Single, Divorced or Married?

Relationship- the way two are more people are connected   (relation=related) ship=slow, steady moving object.

 So a relationship is when two are more people who are connected move forward and grow together at a steady pace.  Relationship is not fast and it doesn’t happen overnight.  It takes time, attention and patience. You have toget to know the other person.  That’s exactly what salvation is . Salvation starts the relationship.

  It’s ever learning and growing.  You get saved to learn more about the SAVIOR and to learn to mimic His ways and habits and be more like Him and as you draw closer to Him.  You grow and mature in Him and it happens gradually,over time.   It’s a process.

My oldest sibling is about 20 yrs older than me, so I didn’t know her growing up even though she was my relation.

 It took time establishing a connection and bond.

We have to put God first in all we do; making God feel special and important; giving God attention and affection;

 This is what having an  intimate relationship is about.

For example, let’s look at the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11.  God loved him so much that He didn’t give up onHim; he waited for His return and when he came back, God met Him and embraced him and received him joyfully.

 He was happy that His son came  back Home and He celebrated his return with gifts.  They had a grand celebration. 

See the son had a relationship with the Father.  He was in the Father’s presence daily.  He had what he needed and desired.  He was well taken care of.  The father takes care of His children.    It is when the son left the Father, then he lost everything.  When we leave the Father, then we are out there on our own.  God is not obligated to do anything for  us when we leave Him.

See, the son may have been a prodigal, slothful, wasteful and irresponsible, but he was still a son.  God still called him son.  He still considered him family because he had a relationship.  He had established intimacy with the Fatherand that connection and bond was there before He left and when he returned back, it was as if he never left.

So, what is your relationship status? alone (single); divorced or married

1.  Alone –world says single, but correct term is alone, meaning without a companion; by yourself; unattached

 Paul talks about the unmarried and married woman in the book of Corinthians—1 Corinthians 7:25-40.

To the unmarried Paul tells us that Jesus should be our first priority.  He should be our one and only and if we struggle in the flesh, we should marry.  But, he says that the unmarried cares about the things of God, how she may please and serve Him.  Being alone is a great time to step out on faith and try new things, start that business, work on getting closer to God.  This is a time of knowing God for yourself because when you are alone, it’s when God will reveal himself to you like never before.

2.            Married people- Paul says are too preoccupied with marriage and family and wife cares about pleasing her husband. 

He’s not saying that she doesn’t love God, but she has so much on her plate that her priorities can be a bit mixedup.  Married folks should use their marriage for ministry and a time to grow and mature in God.  Husband should follow God’s leading and the wife should follow her husband’s leading.  If the husband is following God, then a wife shouldn’t have any problem following a Godly man who has a solid strong relationship with the father andHears from God.  If God tells him to move to Kentucky, then the wife should be secure and confident in her husband’s  leadership and have no problems packing her bags because she knows her husband is following after

 God.  That’s relationship and intimacy at its best when the husband is operating properly and as God ordained as head of the  house and the wife is submitting to her husband’s leadership role.

3.       Divorced-  You have left God and walked away like the prodigal son did.  You had a bad situation and felt like

God abandoned you or wasn’t there for you.  You got mad and walked away.   Perhaps you had a bad experience at church and walked away.  Divorce is a separation for that which you are connected to. Disconnect, friction,dishonesty, bad communication, no love or affection or attention, feeling unwanted and under valued.  That’s theway many of us  treat our relationship with the Father.  We divorced Him and left him like the prodigal son to do our own thing.

Jesus said in his word he would never leave us or forsake us.  He doesn’t walk away from us.  We walk away fromhim.  God is so connected and committed to the relationship that his word says that wherever we make our beds, God will be there.  God is married to the backslider.  Jeremiah 3:14 “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord: for Iam married unto you: and I will  take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

 God won’t rid himself of us no matter what.  Psalm 139: 8 “If I ascend up into heaven, thou are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold thou are there.” In hell, He will still be there.  We won’t we feel his presence, but he will be present.  It’s his dying love for us that no matter what, He would love us all the way to hell and he doesn’t send us there.  We send ourselves. It’s our free will to live whichever way we choose but our choosing have consequences.

So,  we have to ask ourselves what type of relationship we have with the Father right now as that is how we stay connected to him.  It’s about relationship and building a connection and bond.  It’s staying in his will and giving him the love and attention that he deserves and is seeking from us.  The same way we water our friendships, family relationships, relationship with our mates, etc is the same way we have to do with the Father.  We have toconstantly feed it or it  will die.  It’s no different.   If we get it right with Him, we can get it right with everyone else.

 Jesus is the key.  He built relationships to last and withstand. 

  WE have to constantly feed our spirits so we can be prepared and have something to say to the enemy when He comes.    Married folks don’t be too quick to file those divorce papers.  There is power in agreement.  Greatest love is when a man lays down his life for a friend.  That friend is Jesus.  He’ll stick closer to us than a brother.  That’s relationship and if we draw to him, he will draw unto us. 

God bless you and until next month, stay blessed and be encouraged.  Love your sis, Quiniece AKA Lady Q.

Quiniece Sheppard, AKA Lady Q

Founder/President of I am the Chase Ministries

www.iamthechase.com