Any words of wisdom or Bible verses or stories or advice specifically for those in love with love, the hopeless romantics out here?
I know we shouldn't seek completeness in other humans--only God can complete us--but I still cannot stop thinking about finding "the right one" for me.
Romanticism is part of human nature that our Creator, Jehovah God, placed within us as male and female. However, there are moral boundaries that must be adhered to, for unrestrained romanticism can cause one stray within the moral confines that God has established for us as his creation.(Gen 39:7-9; Matt 5:28; Prov 6:25, compare Eze 23:11-17)
The Song of Solomon, is an account of love of a comely "black girl" who is a Shulammite maiden (Song of Sol. 1:5; 6:13) for her "boy companion", a shepherd, even feeling "lovesick" toward him. (Song of Sol. 5:8) She longs to be with him, even searching and asking the "watchman" of the city: "The one whom my soul has loved have you men seen ?"(Song of Sol. 3:3) She finds him, the "one whom my soul has loved", but tells the "daughters of Jerusalem....that you try not to awaken or arouse love in me until it feels inclined."(Song of Sol. 3:4, 5)
The arousal of sexual feelings can be at times, intense, and must be kept in check. Only within the boundaries of marriage can this desire be rightfully fulfilled.(Heb 13:4) The brothers of the Shulammite maiden realized the dangers with sexual desire, saying: "If she should be a wall, we shall build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she should be a door, we shall block her up with a cedar plank.”(Song of Sol. 8:9) If the Shulammite girl had been unsteady in love and virtue, like a door turning on its pivots, her brothers determined to “block her up with a cedar plank,” thus barring the “door” shut and preventing its swinging open to anyone unwholesome.
This Shulammite maiden or comely "black girl" had successfully resisted all enticements, including that of King Solomon, being satisfied with her own vineyard and remaining loyal in her affection for her lover (Song of Sol. 8:6, 7, 11, 12), and could properly say: “I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers. In this case I have become in his eyes like her that is finding peace.”(Song of Sol. 8:10) She was careful whom she chose.
The apostle Paul wrote for true Christians: "Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? "(2 Cor 6:14) Those who wish to please God, avoid becoming "unevenly yoked with unbelievers", those who discount or belittle God and his high moral principles. Marrying someone as this would make the union "unevenly yoked", as with yoking animals of different strengths, with even the Mosaic Law stating to the nation of Israel: "You must not plow with a bull and an a ss together."(Deut 22:10)
Romanticism is especially strong during the "bloom of youth".(1 Cor 7:36) The apostle Paul wrote that "if anyone thinks he (or she) is behaving improperly toward his (or her) virginity, if that is past the bloom of youth, and this is the way it should take place, let him do what he wants; he does not sin. Let them marry."(1 Cor 7:36) Finding a suitable mate in this wicked time period we are living in, called the "last days", is challenging. Paul further wrote that in this time period of the "last days", that "men would be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, blasphemers....not open to any agreement...without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness."(2 Tim 3:1-3)
Because of these deteriorating moral conditions, locating someone who expresses genuine love, in imitation of Jesus Christ (John 13:1), has become a test of a mountain not easily scaled. At Ephesians 5:22-33, the apostle Paul outlines what is required in a marital union to make it work with love and both mates be genuinely happy.
