Faithful Courtship 1

Dating is observation. Courtship is serious consideration.
Dating might involve time with various friends, but courtship is exclusive.
Dating involves no expectations, but courtship does.

Song of Solomon 2:8-9

If your person of interest is your harshest critic.
If you think more about who you wish the one you court was then who he or she really is.
If you constantly notice his or her behavior not matching up with their words.
If you feel more insecure since being in the relationship than you did prior.
If you find yourself thinking about someone else.
If you are in such a courtship and could take or leave seeing the other person.
If you actually enjoy and find rest and peace when the one your court is away.

First, they want MORE time together.
Secondly, this man pursues this woman.

Does your person of interest desire time with you?
Is he or she excited about you?

When was the last time you leaped mountains to have time together (in marriage)?
When was the last time you anticipated having quality time (in marriage)?
When was the last time you were excited to be in each’s others presence (in marriage)?

Song of Solomon 2:9-13

This man is pursuing intently this woman.

His pursuit shows that he knows her.
He knows meaningful things to her.
He has paid attention to her.
He has studied her.
And he wants to know even more about her.

A faithful courtship produces life!

Song of Solomon 2:14

Faithful courtship involves a lot of vulnerable communication.

1. Communicate. Talk and listen.

2. Consistency of time together.

3. Be patient.

4. Evaluate one another and the relationship.

Understand as much as possible who and what they are and who and what they are not.

It is important that you not look at various personality traits and expect those to change.

Also, we should NOT expect issues of character to simply change in marriage. Now, Christ will bring appropriate change in the life and character of His people, but there is not promise of how long that change will take nor how much of it will come.

Consider Christ Jesus
· His communication is faithful to us. He has given us His Word.
· He pursued us relentlessly. He left the Father’s throne above and came to us.
· He made Himself vulnerable to us by becoming man and dwelling among us only to be despised and rejected by man.
· His pursuit and vulnerability because of His love for us landed Him on a Roman cross. The very place He knew He was pursuing us unto that we might be with Him eternally.

And all of that He did knowing everything possible to know about us.
And He has chosen to marry you anyway. He has chosen to make us His Bride.
And He says you can confess to Him. You can be honest, vulnerable and transparent with Him.
And He will not harm you. He will secure you.