DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS

"A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives, but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains as she is [that is, unmarried], according to my judgment – and I think I have the Spirit of God." (I Corinthians 7:39-40)

This advice of Paul to the Church at Corinth is especuaIly appropriate to communities where there are lots of widows and widowers. Paul does not give hard and fast rules regarding remarriage of those who have lost their spouses. But he gives some guidelines.

First, he says that it is better to remain single because the surviving spouse has more freedom to serve the Lord without distraction (vss. 35-36). However, if a couple has a problem keeping the relationship pure, it better for them to marry. If they do remarry, they have not sinned.

In another place, Paul gives instruction regarding widows. Here are the biblical instructions given to Timothy: "Honor widows who are really widows....Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works, if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieve the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work. But refuse the younger widows, for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry...." (I Timothy 5:3, 9-11). In other words, to consider a widow eligible for support from the church, she should be age 60 or more and dedicated to ministry to other believers.

It is not easy to be a widow or a widower. They have special needs, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. It seems to me that Paul had empathy to their plights, and gave them latitude about remarriage. But he also knew that remarriage brings its own problems. So he wrote that remarrying would "have troubles in the flesh," and he wanted to spare them from these pains (vs. 28).

Blessings on people who have suffered the loss of a spouse, but have dedicated themselves to serve the Lord. They have special ministries, like the widow Anna, who had dedicated her life to serving God with fastings and prayers night and day in the temple and got to see the infant Lord Jesus when he was brought into the temple for His dedication (Luke 2:36-37). May her tribe increase.

Love, Dad