November 17                                   Ps 146 -150

MATURITY REQUIRED

MEMORISE: 'But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.' (1 Tim 5:8)
READ: 1 Timothy 5:7-9

Having decided by God's guidance to marry, the next question that follows is 'When?' marriage is a commitment and not for immature people. When God brought Eve and Adam together in the first marriage that ever took place, they were both adults, not teenagers. Ask yourself: am I mature enough for this responsibility? The age of maturity differs from one person to another, as some people mature faster.

Apart from maturity, another thing that could delay the time of marriage is education. You may be very healthy, strong and capable of producing children but if you are still in secondary school, you are not likely to be mature for marriage. Also, if you are young and strong but just a freshman at the University, you may not be ready for marriage. You need to be emotionally stable and largely independent. 'But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel' (1 Tim 5:8).

Financial stability is necessary for a successful marriage. Marriage is more than putting a woman in the house; it is serious responsibility. I know some young men who asked me to pray for them, because they wanted to get married. When I asked them where they were working, they said they were trusting God for jobs. It is unrealistic to think of marriage, which will entail feeding several mouths daily, when you cannot even feed your own. Before God gave Adam a wife, he had already given him a job. If you do not have work and you want a wife, you are like an infidel. If you are physically but not financially mature, suspend the journey into marriage until this is resolved.

Some people who are physically and financially mature for marriage may be delayed by their consecration to do more work for the Lord before they think of settling down. Are you struggling in any of these areas? Pray and work on it and the Lord will guide you.

ACTION POINT
How old are you in the Lord? Ensure that you master every challenge
That comes your way with the required maturity.