“Oh gosh, not this love crap again,” I exclaimed much too loudly as Peeta leaned in to kiss Katniss for the 57th time (if you haven’t seen Catching Fire yet don’t worry there aren’t any spoilers here). I could blame the outburst on my mountain dew high, but if you’ve ever seen a movie with me you know I don’t keep my feelings to myself especially when I have read the book and I am invested.
As the love triangle unfolded throughout this wickedly great feature film I continued to roll my eyes as the romance took up waaaay too much screen time (in my humble, male “I came here to see people get killed” opinion). Don’t get me wrong, I believe in love. Don’t you? I mean, “all you need is love,” right?
What is it about love stories that capture our attention? I mean, what are most songs on the radio about? Love. What does practically every movie center around in some context? Love. Most TV Shows? Yup, you guessed it. Heck, you can’t even go to a Twins game without the dreaded/beloved kiss cam.
We are obsessed with love! Still not convinced?
According to Statisticbrain.com 40 million people have tried online dating in the U.S… 40 MILLION. The online dating industry generates an average of $1.049 billion dollars a year!! Why? Because people are desperate for true love. They are convinced their $80 a month will find them the perfect match and the industry thrives on people’s loneliness, insecurities, and their desperation for companionship. It really is a great business model.
The fact that love is all around us is a testament that it’s just human nature, like hating Twilight or pooping, we’re just programmed to seek love, to find love, to foster love, to spread love, to live love. The confusion comes when people don’t realize what they’re truly seeking. It’s not someone to make you breakfast in bed (although I love blueberry pancakes, just saying). It’s something much bigger.
You see, when you feel love you are experiencing tiny and beautiful glimpses of God, because “God is love.” 1 John 4:8. God isn’t hate or judgement, condemnation or guilt. God is Love. The action. The verb. He wants us to live in community so we can show each other that indescribable feeling when someone loves you for exactly who you are because that’s how he feels about you, each and every day.
That’s what those 40 million people are actually looking for: Jesus. I’m not saying you’re a bad person for wanting someone to ride shotgun for the rest of your life, God created marriage for us and marriage is awesome (or so I hear). Yet, I encourage you to check your love obsession, to quiet those voices that say there’s something wrong with you if you’re not married or if you’re single. To be still and listen for God’s voice in your life. Let him show you His plan, he knows your heartache and he completely understands.
As for me? God has always communicated to me through my friends. In the past month I’ve been asked about being set up four (yes FOUR) times. Loud and clear big guy. 🙂 It’s good, these people just want me to be happy and to find someone to show me a glimpse of God’s love everyday. In reality, it’s probably the nicest you could do for someone. (Don’t get any ideas…)
So today I challenge you to draw closer to God. Maybe go check out a church for the first time in awhile. Maybe just listen to a sermon or two (give Francis Chan’s series on Christ Centered Relationships a look). Maybe just say hey God, how are you?
And when you find your Jennfier Lawrence or Josh Hutcherson and that person says to you, “I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you,” you’ll be ready to face the challenges that life and marriage will bring with God by your side.
My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God. John 4:7-10 (The Message)
It’s a long walk through this world, but keep walking tall, you’re one day closer to being Home.
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