song of solomon #2
dating

august 24, 2003 - cleveland

What if dating was not primarily about that time you spend doing fun things and being romantic? 

What if dating is primarily about honesty and listening?

What if honesty and listening are the only things that give your relationship substance that will make it last?

What if a good date is one where you walk away having glimpsed the other person’s soul... and revealed your own

When you are in a relationship - do you encourage honesty through the way you listen and the way you share?

Do you have secrets from your spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend?

In your relationship - Have you talked about some of the “tougher issues” of life?

Your weaknesses - Sexual temptation - Hopes for the future - Your past (hurts, dating history, failures) - Conflict  -

‘Name’ questions:

Do you have a picture of the ‘name’ qualities you are looking for?

If you are single, do you have a picture of what someone who resembles Christ looks like?

If you described your ideal man and woman would that primarily be a description of character and spiritual qualities?

Do you find yourself attracted to people of whose name reflects God?

Do you find yourself settling in relationships for someone with a bad ‘SHEM’

Do you have the name necessary to be in a relationship?

If you are in a relationship - do you find yourself building your own name as an act of love?

Do you take seriously the idea that your spouse or your boyfriend or girlfriend deserves someone who’s “name is like perfume poured out”

Spiritual role questions:

How do you invest in the people you date spiritually?

Are you building them up spiritually?

If we did a survey of all your X’s would they say that you cared for them spiritually?

If you are married is your spouse more or less confident since you met them?

If you are in a relationship - can you list the ways your significant other has grown spiritually?

A question for all of us:

What if we took seriously Christ’s call to us - “Arise my darling my beautiful one and come with me” - and pursued God like we would pursue a lover?