Day 7: Romance

This one is in honor of my good friend who is getting married this very day! I always said that when one of my close friends from back in high school got married, that would be the day that I would begin to feel old. That day has come.

I hope you don't think I'm too sappy with this one. Congratulations man!
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Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

Love is a pretty simple word to say. It gets a lot of use in everyday contexts. I love hotdogs, certain TV shows, my friends, and books by C.S. lewis, but not all in the same way. But, I'm going to skip most of that and dig into romantic love.

Warning: Here be dragons.

Falling in love is a pretty dangerous thing, right? Nobody likes a broken heart. But God did it when he created mankind. And guess what? We went and broke his heart. He paid the ultimate sacrifice to mend that relationship. I think we can spare a few words for romance.

The scripture that deals with God-fearing relationships between man and woman are pretty tough to navigate. A lot of it has to do with marriage and the relationship between a husband and wife. What can we say for those who want a relationship centered on Christ?

There are a lot of "guidebooks" out there on romantic relationships, particularly when it comes to finding that special someone. Perhaps you've read I Kissed Dating Goodbye or Boy Meets Girl by Joshua Harris or maybe Passion and Purity by Elizabeth Elliot or even Boundaries in Dating by Cloud and Townsend (I don't recommend that last one if you don't like long, dry and boring books). Perhaps you've read some others, but they've all got their "tried and true" methods and advice. Some are just stories (and I like these the best) about what worked for them.

There are a lot of viewpoints, but as with all things we do, if we keep our focus on God and ask for his wisdom, he will provide.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31, NIV)

I think the major trap when pursuing that elusive, God-fearing romance with another person is to take the focus off God and put it on that other person. Obviously, avoiding this trap is a lot easier to chat about than to do. It takes a lot of prayer on the part of both people and a willingness to do God's will, whatever that looks like. A relationship centered on God should be a testament to the gift he has given us and it may not look typical and that's okay.

Whole books, blogs, and talks are devoted to the subject of romance by people far more qualified than I. But I believe real love is possible and you can find someone to spend the rest of your life with. Yes, it can be tough work, and yes there are a lot of unhealthy shortcuts which do more harm than good, but when God brings two people together and they commit to love each other and walk hand in hand doing his work, they can move mountains.

<3

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Tomorrow will be a short one because of all this wedding stuff! Look forward to it.