As Christians we toss words around like intimacy and passion transforming relationship with God into romance with God.
In a sexualized culture, it is natural to start using these words to speak of our fellowship with God. We believe the highest human form of relationship will take on a sexual nature.
I’ve heard stories of churches putting a bed on stage and speaking of how God wants to romance us. Is it anyone wonder women are more attracted to the church than men?!?
The Bible does not use our romantic notion to describe relationship. In fact when sexual imagery is used, it is a negative speaking of prostituting our hearts (Ezekiel 16:30) or walking in whoredom (Hosea 4:12).
What picture does the Bible take?
It would not make for a good movie or racy novel!
In fact, in our culture, it might be considered boring.
The picture we see for all relationship is first and foremost one of faithfulness.
Sounds boring I know, but it seems boring is often harder to achieve than we think.
Hosea uses shocking imagery to portray whoredom and its opposite faithfulness.
The prophet Hosea is a picture of faithfulness while his wife, a whore, represents unfaithful Israel.
“For the spirit of whoredom is within them and they do not know the Lord.” (Hosea 5:4)
God may not be as interested in romance as we think. That is unless He begin to redefine true romance.
Candlelight, chick flicks, and sappy love poems is not what God is looking for.
God himself is a picture of faithfulness.
Consider these “boring” promises:
* God will be with us.
* God will never leave or forsake us.
* He does not change.
* He will be our God and we will be his people.
Not the stuff of Hollywood or the New York Times bestseller list.
Faithfulness is beautiful in its simplicity.
Picture an elderly couple walking holding hands. There is nothing hot and sexy about it, but it is stunning in its beauty.
“So you, by the help of your God return, hold fast to love and justice and wait continually for your God” (Hosea 12:6)
The world needs a reboot as to what true romance is. People looking for a spouse would have a wildly different “list” of qualifications.
Likewise, as the church, we must consider which is most important. Passion and zeal for God is great, but it must be anchored in the bedrock of faithfulness.
Day in and day out; one foot in front of the other faithfulness.
That’s pretty sexy to God.
How does your romantic notion of God need to change? What is a practical way to focus more on faithful simplicity?
Photo credit: What are we going to do this day? via photopin (license)