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Romance Isn't All There Is
1 Peter 3:5 & 7 'For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands … Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect ...' (NIV)
 Years ago, the famed evangelist Dr Billy Graham, was asked what constitutes a great marriage, and what it takes to build one. He replied, 'a great marriage is about two people working hard together all the time.' We live in a culture that is obsessed with romance. For many people today, the love between man and a woman is largely about warm feelings, affectionate embraces and highly charged romantic encounters. And let's face it; love without romance would not be love at all. Romance is important, because it adds that special spark to a relationship and, when sometimes long-term relationship becomes hard work, romance and is the flame of emotion and commitment once more. Romance is, in many cases, what brings us to the marriage altar. But it is never enough to carry us far beyond that point. If our relationships are to last, under the pressure of a throwaway, consumer culture, we must have more than romance going for us. Building a great marriage is very hard work at times, because it requires that we overlook the faults and forgive the flaws in one another. There is no way that two people can live together for a long period of time without, at some point, crossing swords. It is not the absence of problems that makes for a great marriage. All marriages have problems at some level, or in some area. It is what we do with the problems, how we address and overcome them, that determines the quality of the relationship. Yes, a great marriage does involve hard work, but it is also pleasant and rewarding work; work that produces a fantastic result and enriches our lives beyond measure.
Prayer: 'Lord, please help me to see beyond romance alone to profound, long-lasting commitment. Whether I am married or single, I want to build relationships that stand the test of time and are not built simply on personal convenience or changing emotions.'
© 2003-2004 Mal Fletcher
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