A Theology of Romance

   Preface: This post is a bit longer than my normal posts, but I believe that it is not only from my heart, but from the heart of Jesus our groom.

Her beauty inspires the most creative
meditations, poems, images and songs
in my heart.

   Over the last one year, five months, and sixteen days, I have learned to a much greater degree what it means to love another person deeply. I have fallen in love with a girl who is so much more than I deserve. She stirs my affections like no one ever has, does, or ever could. The spark of her smile sets my heart ablaze with a forest fire of passion. Her beauty  inspires the most creative meditations, poems, images, and songs in my heart. To say the least, I am beginning to tap into the glorious mystery of romantic love - if only a little (I mean, we are still dating). Obviously love is so much more than romance, but this is something that I never learned much about until I began to love Christine. And the more I find out what it means to love her, the more I get a glimpse of the passionate side of Christ's love toward his church.
   I can remember one particular moment, when Christine and I were very close to each other. I was embracing her, she was snuggling up to me, and there was pure enjoyment during that moment as we just enjoyed the presence of the other. But as I was thinking back on that moment, I was pondering on what kind of mindset might have destroyed that close connection. And the big thing that came to my mind was a lack of confidence and trust. If I had thought in my mind during that moment, "Man, I really don't deserve her," or "I shouldn't be doing this," or if she had been thinking, "Why am I doing this?" or "There is no way I will ever measure up to him, so why bother?" then the closeness would have totally been shot down. It was because we had confidence toward one another and trust in one another that we could lavish our presence on each other and truly enjoy it - something even as small as hugging. The writer of Hebrews tells us that we can now confidently approach Jesus (4:16). And as I learned from being with Christine, you need confidence toward another to even take part in romance with them. Confidence and trust are foundational. I get that we must humbly approach God with due understanding that we are nothing without him, but to approach him with anything short of confidence will kill your intimacy with him. It is the solid rock upon which romance is built. It is the fertile plain out of which intimacy spouts.

He is coming for his bride and it is
going to be the wedding to trump
all weddings.

   Jesus Christ is madly in love with his church. He is coming for his bride (2 Corinthians 11:2) and it is going to be the wedding to trump all weddings (Revelation 19:9). It will be the celebration of celebrations. He will hold nothing back in his expressions of pure unbridled love and joy. He is passionate in the way he pursues her. I believe it is entirely biblical to see Jesus Christ as the most romantic person to ever exist. (cf. Romans 5:8; Romans 8:35, 37-39; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 5:25, just to reference a few). But if this beautiful romance is to flower and foster and flourish, it must be returned. His bride, about whom he is extremely passionate, must learn to love him back with raptures of love that are not ordinary, not common, not mundane, but poetic, creative, beautifully expressive, vulnerable, passionate, and true. He is coming for a bride who is truly IN LOVE with him.
   Now, I can do my best at loving him back like this, and that is what he desires of me, but I am only one person. I am not his bride. The church is his bride, of which I am a small part. Me loving him with all I have is not the same as the church loving him with all she has. Jesus desires for his bride to love with all she has. He desires for her to pursue him fervently, creatively, poetically, and deeply, like he loves her. I will love him with all I got, but it is not enough until his complete church loves him passionately.
   This concept is vital for the church, as a whole, to grasp. Jesus is tender, and gentle, and adoring, and romantic toward his church. She is pure. He has cleansed her. She is strong. He has strengthened her with his Spirit. She is able. He has equipped her. But she must be loving. For he has desired her...all of her. In all of our teachings about loving God, there seems to be missing anything about a romantic pursuit of Jesus our groom. This element of romantic love, though not the most important part of love, is still crucial. We talk a lot about his passionate love for us, but it is hard to come by people who inspire you to love Jesus with all the romance that you got.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Would you paint your spiritual love life in
drab grays or in vibrant hues?

  How about you? How is your love life...with Jesus, I mean? Would you paint it in some drab grays, or is it a colorful portrait filled with vibrant hues? Be encouraged, it is not too late to begin anew. It is our privilege as a church to fall madly in love with Jesus again. Just as he encouraged the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:4-5) to return to their first love, he is desiring your love. Return to him. Commit today to put in the work it takes (contrary to what you may have thought, romance takes a lot of work) to love Jesus passionately and romantically. Sing to him in melodies of joy, draw for him with expressions of romantic inspiration, write to him the most poetic and descriptive sonnets. Or if the artsy side of life is not your abode, run for him with all of your strength, fight for him with all of your heart, lead for him with all of your wisdom and intellect. I think you get my picture. Commit today to practice falling in love with him every day. Because when you do, your heart will follow your feet (quick side note: please don't "Follow your heart," as Hollywood tells you. Lead your heart with your actions. Where your mind and feet go, there your heart will follow.) Fall in love with Jesus with a renewed vigor, and you will discover a romance that is far more true, deep, and exciting than anything you have ever experienced. I think this is what Jesus was talking about when he said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Mark 12:30)."