I talked to Chris today about a blog post I was composing in my head, which he referenced.

It came up because I've been thinking recently that the one topic that it seems that often people fail to properly hear God on is romantic relationships. Time and time again people think or say things like "God is saying I should go out with Mary J" or "God wants Eric an I to be together forever". And time and time again it doesn't work out.

It seems that often people do not hear well about what God is saying to them about their love lives. I think we often mistake our emotions for God's voice. I've done it myself plenty of times. These days I don't think I trust anything I think God might be saying about love and that like. So often I've found that I'm wrong that I get to the point where I wonder how do you tell what God is saying in those situations? Or does God say anything at all?

And that's where I start to think that probably part of the issue is, God doesn't really mind who you like (as in "like like") but how you go about it (hence Chris' comments).

Although I do think God cares who you go out with, at least to some degree. Some people will be detrimental to you and your relationship with God and others. Some will tempt you to sin, some you will find it difficult to respect and love.

And so then I say, well God probably does mind to some degree who we like then, because you should only go out with people you like, and liking people will be the first step to going out with them. Going out with people will be the first step to marrying someone. And I'm sure God cares about who we marry.

But perhaps God doesn't say much to us on these issues, because he's given us the resources to work most of it out ourselves. He has given us feelings and brains, and neither should cancel the other out. We can use both of them quite well when it comes to our love lives. Maybe God doesn't need to speak, because he knows he's designed us well enough to work through the issues ourselves. Maybe it's not such a big deal. He's given us his Word which is quite clear about how to treat people, and if you follow those guide lines you're most of your way to conducting your romantic life well.

But then again, I could be wrong. None of this is doctrine. None of it is set in concrete. As I've often said, I'm certainly not the Love King. But at least, when it comes to love, most of the time, I don't act like a bastard. Well, I hope I don't.