In today’s dating world, there seems to be more confusion than clarity.

When a friend of mine told me of her new love interest, I couldn’t have been more ecstatic. I hoped more than anything that she would experience the joy she had often lacked in her previous relationship. Yet as she began relaying all the details with a giddy smile, I began to see a familiar pattern. These days, it seems like dating always includes some form of mixed signals, such as: “I don’t know if we’re dating or just hanging out,” or “He said he wanted to take things slow, but we’ve already been intimate,” or “I definitely have feelings, but I don’t know what’s on her mind.”

After we spoke, I began to wonder if this was how God sometimes felt about my own relationship with Him. How often do I rely on my own understanding rather than His Word? Why do I surround myself with the busyness of the world rather than His quiet presence? Where do I run to when life gets messy? In Luke 13:24-27, Jesus emphasizes the importance of seeking Him with our whole hearts: 

“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from.’” 

Although Jesus’ words are quite sobering, they should inspire us to pursue Him as much as He pursues us. Because He wants all of us, not just our Sundays. So, what’s your relationship status with the Lord? Are we “just talking” to Him? Do we read our Bibles out of duty or a desire to know Him better? Let us seek Him with the same unwavering love that He has for us—because He is always waiting at the door of our hearts. 

Dear Jesus, nothing defines the word “commitment” more than your loving sacrifice on the cross. So, help us to let go of anything that distracts us from nurturing a whole-hearted relationship with You. May we keep You first in all things as we continue our journey of knowing You more deeply. It is in Your name, we pray. Amen.