This teaching concerns domestic relationships. You learn a lot about how they did things back then. One reason we see so much chaos today is the breakdown of the home. In the midst of the chapter Paul pauses and seems to change the subject, but he doesn’t. What he’s saying is that as Christians we have to maintain proper perspective on everything. We’re cautioned not to get so involved in our personal situations that we back off from God.
Something happens. You hear this side and this side and then sometimes personal trouble becomes church trouble. Don’t let the devil use it as an excuse not to serve the Lord. I’ve known people who had family trouble and they quit going to church, the last thing anyone should do. Paul said to maintain our relationship with God. Remember Jesus said this. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. If you look at what he said only at face value you might think it’s all right to hate your family. That’s not what he was saying. He meant we are to put him first.
I Corinthians 7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; 31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. 32 But I would have you without carefulness.
The first part of verse 32 links what is before and after together. Carefulness is worrying and fretting, being caught up in personal problems. Every home has problems; none is perfect. We’re not denying that. Keep it in perspective so that you can put God first. Don’t give your prayer requests and let all the details out. No one wants to know all the dirty details of what’s going on with family problems. Just give it to God. Humble your heart to God and he’ll show you the way. Time is short. The effect of the world puts a challenge on families. Don’t think your problems are beyond hope. Trust God. Put him first and be the man or woman he wants. Don’t give problems as the excuse to give up on God, to stop praying, reading your Bible, or fellowshipping with believers in the house of God. They are not an excuse or reason.
Through the years, there have always been problems. We work through them. Life is life and we can’t let life rob us of eternal life. Focus on the Lord and not get so caught up in relationships or things of the world. Don’t be so dependent on things and money that you back away from God. It’s not how much or how little a person has. If we worry over $10 more than we trust God, everything is out of whack. It’s all about priorities.
Joshua said as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. He was going to do his best to serve the Lord and help his people do the same. We have to keep going. We can’t use those who are no longer with us or may not come anymore as our excuse not to come. Don’t let what you rejoice in or your possessions come first. That’s what it means to seek God first. We’ll never be devoid of problems but things will go better if we put God first. We’ll serve others better when we serve God first. Joshua didn’t know what the future held for him. We don’t know what it holds for us, but we know it will be manageable with the Lord’s help. Just put God first.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 