Before going further in the power of a romantic relationship...I think it would be better for me to "lay down some guidelines"...to clarify where I am coming from and where I am going in reference to...romantic relationships...
First, from a Christian perspective, it is important that no matter what facet, vocation, or relationships we have in life, putting our faith in the Lord, adhering to how He would have us live, and allowing Him to be a part of life's pursuits, is critical to the the outcome of how we develop ourselves.
In the New Testament, the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, an interesting array of questions happen to be going on that were being asked to Jesus.
In this scenario, the Pharisees and Sadducees, church leaders within the Jewish faith, were often found asking Jesus questions about God and the Commandments...because their motive was to trap Him and expose Him as the liar they considered Him to be...yet, not all of them.
There were a few of the church leaders who were sincere in wanting to know more about Him, and considered the answers He gave to the Jewish leaders with respect and were intrigued by His accurate passion in the way Jesus answered them...even though many of the questions asked to Him was conceived out of ulterior motives and hopefully to find a way to trap Him.
In this particular setting in Mark 12, one church leader kind of burst out with a question...that came from his heart...a real question...wanting real answers. After hearing the answers Jesus had been giving to his fellow church leaders, this man then asks: " Of all the many Commandments we are required to follow, which one would You deem...most important?"
Jesus seemed to like the question this man had asked Him, and did not perceive it to be a "trick question" or one of wrong motives. Jesus accepted this question with a sincerity and answered this question..."straight up" as we would say today. In other words, in the midst of a number of "hostile questions"...suddenly an innocent one appears.
A Gleaning from Mark 12: 29-31
" The first and most important commandment you can ever adhere to is this...I need to have you listen up to this: "The Lord your God is the only Lord...of all heaven and earth. As for you, you must make it a priority, a daily practice, and allow passion to grow within your hearts in learning to love Him. For the Lord of all heaven and earth desires from you these very elements: all your heart, all your thoughts and ideas, all your trust in Him...that you might follow Him with an intelligence and energy that develops into a passion for Him and His plans for you."
There is one other Commandment of equal importance...needing to be instilled into your lives as well...in fact these 2 Commandments are so intertwined you cannot do one of these 2 Commandments without the other. The 2nd Commandment is this: " You must learn to love others...your very neighbors...as much as you love yourself".
Jesus then concluded: "There are no greater Commandments than these."
Notes on this passage of Scripture: The Torah...that is to say the Old Testament from Genesis through Deuteronomy, during the time when Jesus lived among us, had 613 separate commandments to follow ( some from the "written" Torah, and yet many from the "oral" Torah...that is to say commands added to the Torah by Jewish church leaders in order to follow the commandments of the written Torah...or so they thought).
Another thought to be aware of when Jesus answered this honest question about the most important Commandment to follow. When Jesus asked everyone around Him to "Listen up"...the Hebrew for this word is called "Shema". The first Commandment Jesus points out is from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. It was read twice daily and were probably the best known verses in the Old Testament. When this verse was spoken twice a day...it would begin with..."Shema".
The 2nd Commandment is given to remind us how others need us in all kinds of various scenarios we find ourselves in...during life. It is very contrary to the teaching we often hear "God helps those who helps themselves"...a saying not found in the Sacred Scripture. Learning to support and help in what is best for others...is a selfless act...the kind God does for us.
So...what does this have to do with a "romantic relationship"?...Well, this is a foundation to having a relationship with meaning and having some real joy in it. Much more to come....
First, from a Christian perspective, it is important that no matter what facet, vocation, or relationships we have in life, putting our faith in the Lord, adhering to how He would have us live, and allowing Him to be a part of life's pursuits, is critical to the the outcome of how we develop ourselves.
In the New Testament, the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12, an interesting array of questions happen to be going on that were being asked to Jesus.
In this scenario, the Pharisees and Sadducees, church leaders within the Jewish faith, were often found asking Jesus questions about God and the Commandments...because their motive was to trap Him and expose Him as the liar they considered Him to be...yet, not all of them.
There were a few of the church leaders who were sincere in wanting to know more about Him, and considered the answers He gave to the Jewish leaders with respect and were intrigued by His accurate passion in the way Jesus answered them...even though many of the questions asked to Him was conceived out of ulterior motives and hopefully to find a way to trap Him.
In this particular setting in Mark 12, one church leader kind of burst out with a question...that came from his heart...a real question...wanting real answers. After hearing the answers Jesus had been giving to his fellow church leaders, this man then asks: " Of all the many Commandments we are required to follow, which one would You deem...most important?"
Jesus seemed to like the question this man had asked Him, and did not perceive it to be a "trick question" or one of wrong motives. Jesus accepted this question with a sincerity and answered this question..."straight up" as we would say today. In other words, in the midst of a number of "hostile questions"...suddenly an innocent one appears.
A Gleaning from Mark 12: 29-31
" The first and most important commandment you can ever adhere to is this...I need to have you listen up to this: "The Lord your God is the only Lord...of all heaven and earth. As for you, you must make it a priority, a daily practice, and allow passion to grow within your hearts in learning to love Him. For the Lord of all heaven and earth desires from you these very elements: all your heart, all your thoughts and ideas, all your trust in Him...that you might follow Him with an intelligence and energy that develops into a passion for Him and His plans for you."
Jesus then concluded: "There are no greater Commandments than these."
Notes on this passage of Scripture: The Torah...that is to say the Old Testament from Genesis through Deuteronomy, during the time when Jesus lived among us, had 613 separate commandments to follow ( some from the "written" Torah, and yet many from the "oral" Torah...that is to say commands added to the Torah by Jewish church leaders in order to follow the commandments of the written Torah...or so they thought).
Another thought to be aware of when Jesus answered this honest question about the most important Commandment to follow. When Jesus asked everyone around Him to "Listen up"...the Hebrew for this word is called "Shema". The first Commandment Jesus points out is from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. It was read twice daily and were probably the best known verses in the Old Testament. When this verse was spoken twice a day...it would begin with..."Shema".
So...what does this have to do with a "romantic relationship"?...Well, this is a foundation to having a relationship with meaning and having some real joy in it. Much more to come....
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