“Are you marrying God? or are you just enjoying having a date with Him?”. A friend of mine shared that this was one of the lines that struck her while listening to a recorded preaching. This too made me think and re-think. A quaint comparison indeed.

What is dating? How does it feel to go out on a date? Haven’t done that in a while, but let me try to recall … going out regularly, dinner together, watching movies,  giving gifts, caring for the other, endearment, expecting sweet nothings, committing time with the other person … yes there is a sense of commitment. These are just some of the things one can visualize when we speak of couples who are dating. As I scram through the net for a scientific/formal/technical definition of dating, this is how Wikipedia has put it :

“Dating is a form of courtship consisting of social activities done by two people with the aim of each assessing the other’s suitability as a partner in an intimate relationship or as a spouse. While the term has several meanings, it usually refers to the act of meeting and engaging in some mutually agreed upon social activity in public, together, as a couple.”

Most if not all will agree to me that dating is fun. Some singles find it a highway to “happiness” even. There is I would say joy of course when you are in that stage, sharing your life with another person, sharing your thoughts, experiences, having someone and being there for someone. And as Wiki put it “there is some mutually agreed upon …” — there is thus a certain level of commitment.  Up to what extent?  As we put it in trending lingo  … “date date lang pag may time”, “dinner dinner  pag may time”, “watch movie pag may time”, “kwentuhan pag may time” … lahat na lang “pag may time”, for some they do find time.

Marrying someone on the hand as I would imagine and as most of my married friends would attest, would not be able to thrive with “pag may time”. I remember one of those showbiz couples who got married and unsurprisingly got divorced in no time said this in an interview while in tears “we tried our best but it just didn’t work”. I will not forget what one of our life coaches said about marriage – “Marriage is not about trying, it’s about dying.”

I pondered on this last night and began to think about how I am walking with the Lord these days, am I just going out on a date with Him? Attend Sunday services, special events like crossroad 201, plan on different ministry activities? Am I trying? Or am I dying for Him?

Dating God? or Marrying God?

 Luke 9:23 – And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.