Redeeming Romance – Part Two

Before you read this, make sure you check out Part One!

I absolutely adore studying the word choices in the Bible and the original Hebrew and Greek meanings. We–our modern society at least–has a tendency to dumb-down or lose the true meaning of words. Take the word ‘love’ for example. We use the same word for describing God’s affection for us and our affection for Mexican food–clearly not the same meaning (although I really do enjoy a plate of sizzling fajitas served alongside a big bowl of guacamole and freshly made chips). And we do that same thing many words in The Word.

Perhaps my favorite example of this is the word ‘know‘. The dictionary defines it as: to perceive or understand as fact or truth, to have established or fixed in the mind or memory, to be aware of, to understand from experience or attainment. In other words, knowledge on an academic level, like I know two plus two equals four. 

The Hebrew word (Yada`) and the Greek word (Ginosko) can be and are used in many different ways, including the above English definitions–Yada`, for example, is used well over a thousand times in the Old Testament. However, one of the most significant ways that both words are used is to represent sex between and husband and wife, such as Genesis 4:1 (Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived), Genesis 24:16 (Now [Rebekah] was…a virgin; no man had known her), and Matthew 1:25 (Then Joseph…took to him his wife (Mary), and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son). (Interestingly, the English dictionary does list this as a definition of ‘know’, but it lists it as an archaic definition.)

I think this is extremely telling, not only of the fact that sex is more than just a physical act, but also of the intimacy that God desires to have with us, because–you guessed it–Yada` and Ginosko are also used to describe God’s ‘knowledge’ of us or vice versa.

“know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)
“My people shall know My name” (Isaiah 52:6)
“but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him” (1 Corinthians 8:3)
“now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God” (Galatians 4:9)

Just to name a few.

So God wants more from you than merely academic knowledge. He doesn’t want you to just know things about Him; He wants you to truly know Him, mind, heart, and soul. He wants an intimate relationship with you.

Women are wired with a desire for intimacy, not merely physical, but emotional. We want someone to know us intimately, to know everything about us, to know the desires of our heart and what makes us tick. And we want that person to take that knowledge and use it.

If a woman absolutely adores sunflowers–maybe she has wonderful and treasured childhood memories of playing in the sunflower fields near her grandmother’s house–she wants someone to know about those memories and then spontaneously surprise her with a huge bouquet of sunflowers. I know that’s a bit specific, but you get what I’m saying. It’s an innate desire that we have–the thought of someone doing something like that for you, whatever your ‘thing’ might be, probably made your heart jump reading that, as it did mine writing it.

Often times, I think the world tries to hush those desires, tell us that we’re wrong, that we’re expecting too much. But those desires were given to us by God because that intimate knowledge we desire–that’s how He knows us. And He’s the only one who can truly fulfill it, and He will, too, if you let Him. That stunning sunset you saw the other day, that wasn’t a mere act of nature [insert the science of sunsets here]; it was God pursuing your heart, romancing you, speaking His intimate love over you.

I remember growing up in church singing along to Jesus, Lover of My Soul; I am only now beginning to understand the truth and beauty of that statement. Your soul can be described as the essence of who you are; someone who knows your soul knows things like I mentioned above. And Jesus is the Lover of our soul, the Romancer of it.

As Stasi Eldredge writes in Captivating, 

“Every song you love, every memory you cherish, every moment that has moved you to holy tears has been given to you from the One who has been pursuing you from your first breath in order to win your heart. God’s version of flowers and chocolates and candlelight dinners comes in the form of sunsets and falling stars, moonlight on lakes and cricket symphonies; warm wind, swaying trees, lush gardens, and fierce devotion.“

Think back to a time when you were romanced by someone, perhaps the time when you were romanced more than you’ve ever been before. Think back to how you felt in that moment. How did it make you feel? Beautiful, treasured, special, important, wanted, right? What did you think about in that moment? Were you thinking about your past hurts and mistakes and scars, all the people that ever hurt you or broke your heart? No. In that moment, those things didn’t matter anymore, right?

There’s just something about romance, when your heart and soul are romanced, that’s cleansing and purifying. It makes the past disappear; it makes you feel whole, renewed. That’s part of why reading Redeeming Love made me long for my Michael Hosea, for someone to love me like that. And there’s nothing wrong with a desire for earthly love and romance and marriage (again, those are desires from God). But true redeeming love, redeeming romance comes only from the Lord.

God is the ultimate Romantic, and He wants to romance you, wants you to acknowledge and allow Him to romance you. Let His love, His intimate love, His romantic love for you purify and cleanse even the innermost parts of your heart and soul. Let Him show you those things in their truest and purest form.

“I’m taking her back out into the wilderness where we had our first date, and I’ll court her.
I’ll give her bouquets of roses. I’ll turn Heartbreak Valley into Acres of Hope.“ – Hosea 2:14b-15a (MSG)

Click here for Part Three.