Serving God In The Pre-Marital Years

SERVING GOD IN THE PRE-MARITAL YEARS

Study text: Eccles 12: 1

Eccl 12:1: Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

- Is it really possible to serve God faithfully as a youth, especially in the pre-marital years?

- The premarital years is characterized with the pressure of sins such as sexual immorality, materialism, alcoholism, occultism, to mention but few.

- Despite this possibility and reality, I want to say that it is possible to serve God faithfully as a youth and in the premarital years.

- If it is possible, then we need to know how and why it is possible, and the steps we need to take to make it possible.

1. It is possible because many youths demonstrated that in the Old Testament.

a.) Joseph.

- Joseph was at the age of seventeen years, when he refused to join his brethren in the evil they were doing, but rather will report their evil deeds to their father. Gen 37:1-2: And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.

2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

- This same Joseph refused to commit fornication with his master’s wife in Egypt, not because he did not know how to enjoy the pleasure, or because he was afraid of his master, but because he feared God and was not willing to break his fellowship with God. Gen 39:7-10: And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand;

9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?

10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be

- If it was possible for Joseph to separate himself from the evil doings of his brethren, and to resist a great temptation for a sinful pleasure, then it is possible for us these days to serve God faithfully.

b.) David

-David was a youth in the premarital years when he demonstrated an un-common zeal to sacrifice his life in fighting with Goliath, a man of great experience and achievements in battles, just because he wanted to see God honored and glorified. 1 Sam 17:42-47: And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hands.

c.) Daniel

- Daniel was a youth when he chose not to defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, and his steadfastness was able to influence the other Hebrew youth positively to take similar decision. Dan 1:8-14: But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.