The Most Important Thing...

As a single woman, I have always wanted to be married since being a
teenager at least.  My dream was to have five children, home school
them, and live a dream.  None of that has happened.  I recently marked
47 years on this earth.  A marriage COULD still happen, but not terribly
likely.  When I was in my late thirties, I plowed this ground and
reached a place of some sort of surrender and contentment.  Alas, I have
found this to be a battle which has to be fought repeatedly.  

The desire for marriage, companionship with a man and a life together, ARE
all good desires.  God makes that clear in the book of Genesis when He
said, "it is not good for a man to be alone."  God made us as women, to
seek that bond and to desire to attach ourselves to a man in a life long
relationship.  When that doesn't happen, it IS suffering.  It leaves
emptiness and loneliness.  

But,today, God showed me something.  As I listened to a young man who had
struggled with sexual sin, this thought began to form in my mind.  It's
not really important if I get married.  But, it DOES matter if I follow
Jesus and know Him.  THAT is the most important thing I need to do in
this life.  In Jesus, is all my heart ultimately longs for.  It's all IN
Him, THROUGH Him, and BECAUSE of Him.   He is the author of all truth,
beauty, goodness, love, joy and peace.  If marriage is in His plans for
my life, I CAN, with His help, experience that.  If not, may I be
reminded that in the next life, there will be no marriage, or need for
such.  For we will be a part of that great bride of Christ forever.  All
our longings will be satisfied fully in Him forever!  All tears will be
gone.