Awaken

Read: Song of Solomon 2:7, 3:5, 8:4; Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11; 8:6

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity in heaven... Ecclesiastes 3:1. This includes dating. You see many people believe that when you are attracted to someone you should date them. I'm mean it cures loneliness, it gives you someone to give your love and affection to and you feel confident in who you are because of them. This all sounds good right? Well...

The reasons for dating are many and I agree that it does do those things above, but what about God? He should be our cure for loneliness, He should be the one we give our love and affection too and we should find self worth and confidence in Him. Your spouse is the icing on the cake, but your relationship with God is the cake, it is the foundation for your life.

Just because you like someone doesn't mean you need to date them. In fact there is a time for you to date and unless you are ready (your age is right, your finances are right, you are spiritually and emotionally ready) to get married it's not the time. I liked people when I was 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20. Had I followed the patter of attraction = dating I would have had 30 girlfriends by the time I was 20 and had nothing to show for it. In fact I would spent a ton of money, time and had a lot of heartbreak by following that model.

Instead I decided to wait until I was ready. I waited until the time was right. The people I liked when I was1 2, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 were no where near what I truly wanted or needed. It wasn't until I it was time that God brought my wife to me. Had I dated earlier I might have settled for a person that was not right for me. I would have awoken love before the time was right and would have been swallowed by temptation.

Three different times in Song of Solomon it says, "promise me not to awaken love before the time is right." In other words wait to date until you are ready for a mate. There is a right time to begin dating. If you are stuck in lust, now is not the time to date, but get healed. If you are emotionally a mess, healing time, not dating. If you're under the age of... well too young waiting time not dating time. If your finances are not in order, it's working time, not dating time. If spiritually you are weak it's time to grow in God, not date.

There is a right time to date. How do you know? Ask. Ask your parents, ask a leader/pastor they will tell you. Promise me this; you will not awaken love before it's time. There is a time to date and a time to wait. For many reading this it's time to wait and good things always come to those who wait. I would never have married a woman that is perfect for me had I not waited. When it was time God brought her to me and opened my eyes to see that she was all I ever wanted. Wait to date until you are ready for a mate!