As a Christian single, I often look around at my married sisters-in-Christ and envy them for the calling God has given them as wives, or I look at my sisters-in-Christ with children and envy their calling as mothers.
My married sisters get to be a picture of the Bride of Christ.
My sisters with children get to be pictures of the union of Christ with His Church, by which Jesus promised if we abide in Him, we will bear much fruit.
What I wouldn't give, I think, to have their calling.
But by envying my sisters with callings other than my own and failing to appreciate my own calling, I despise the calling of God. I'm being ungrateful, and that is a sin.
Very rarely do I give thanks to God for the calling He has given me in this season of life. Very rarely do I thank God for my singleness. Very rarely do I meditate on what the calling to singleness as a Christian means and what it uniquely represents in the Kingdom of God.
When I am ungrateful, I fail to realize it is not only the married woman or the woman with children who represents the Bride of Christ. The single woman (or man for that matter) also represents the Bride of Christ as she waits for her Husband to come and carry her away to her forever-home with Him, by His side.
She represents the Church as she eagerly awaits and anticipates the Marriage Supper of the Lamb at the consummation of history when she will be united with Christ forever.
Until that day, she waits, eagerly anticipating His coming. Even as she longs to be united to Him, she labors in love to be found faithful to Him when He appears.
As single Christian women, may we be joyful representations to the world of the Bride of Christ waiting for her Groom. May we trust in the kind providence of God that His timing is never late nor early.
And while we await our earthly spouse with joyful anticipation, may we await our Heavenly Spouse with even greater joy!
Our King Jesus is coming! Let us be ready for Him!
