Romancing God

Romance is not one of my superlative fortes in life, but I must have been doing some things that fancied my spouse twenty-two years ago the twelfth of this month. That was the day she proposed marriage to me. Our domestic position warranted the move and I said yes. For me it was just another workday and she told me she had all things arranged and it wouldn’t take long. She had me wash my hands and put on a clean shirt so we could go down to the courthouse, say “I do” before a judge, which legally bonded our love for one another on a piece of paper. In her attempt to domesticate me I did not come quietly, but her patience has paid off and I’m a better person for that. The romantic part is still being cast. It’s too bad we guys have to live such calculative life’s that romance only fits in for a short time and then sort of gets moved to the back seat, forced to keep quiet so not to distract us while we’re driving down the road of life. We treat romance as simply another phase of life and then move on while our spouse wonders where the guy she fell in love with went. Webster says to be romantic one must give in to romance, be strange and picturesque, imaginative, sentimental, unpractical and unrealistic. Not to many men can sustain that profile for very long. I suppose that’s why women look forward to their wedding anniversary, because we tend to get romantic.
A couple was celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and they were going to be recognized by their church congregation. The minister asked John to take a few minutes to share some insight into how he managed to live with the same woman all these years. John replied, “Well, I treated her with respect, spent money on her, but mostly I took her traveling on special occasions.” The minister inquired, “Trips to where?” “For our 25th anniversary I took her to Beijing, China.” The minister then said, “What a terrific example you are to all husbands, John. I understand your wife is not present today and we can all keep a secret, please, tell the audience what you have planned for your 50th anniversary.” With a big smile he boasted, “I’m going back to Beijing to get her!”
[2 Peter 1: 3-11] Do I dare say I have romanced God? Coming to the understanding and belief that there is another life after the one we are presently engaged in, has it’s way of getting us to do things out of the ordinary because of the promised reward. In our immature misunderstanding of God’s will, we tend to “do things for God” that will bring good into our lives. Peter tells us that our faith alone will fail us. We must add to our faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Without these qualities in our life we will soon forget that we have been cleansed from our past sins. In the book of James, 1: 19-27, we read we must live God’s word to live the righteous life God desires for us. And, because we live in the world we don’t come quietly to the full understanding of God’s will. We insist, at times, that we know better than God, and there are avenues of life we have to travel because they are natural phases we go through. The problem is, we keep coming up with phases of life that keep us from the true love of God and His saving grace. (2 Peter 3: 9) “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” I cannot romance God into giving me His grace. I must obey His will to receive His full love and mercy.