Dating, although our parents and grandparents, and possibly even some of our great grandparents, probably did it, it has not been the way it has been done through history. It is fairly a new thing, if you asked someone who lived during the Revolutionary War, “Describe dating,” or “What is dating?” they would look confused. This would probably happen from the Civil War era, too.

Start by looking in your Bible Concordance for “dating.” You will not get far.

If it’s not in the Bible, it can’t be right or wrong, right? No restrictions! Wait just a minute, the Bible had a far better plan to find your marriage partner other than giving your heart to many people before God brings “the one” into your life. On your wedding day, you don’t want your spouse to be giving his or her vows to all the others who he or she gave his or her heart to in the past, do you? Then why give your heart in dating relationships?

God is a romantic. He sent Jesus to the church, He died for her, and he is promised in marriage to her. The wedding hasn’t happened yet, but it will. And it can not be called off by Him or us. And while we’re waiting on Him, He’s preparing our “home” in Heaven, and we’re preparing our hearts. He’s also drawing us to Him, he’s winning our hearts, and we’re letting him win our hearts. The more we get to know, and the closer we get to Him, the more we can’t wait until the date set by the Father.

In Bible times, there was a “bride price” the young man would have to pay the father of the young woman to marry her. I believe Jesus’ death was the “bride price” for the church.

Guys, what if you knew that tonight another guy would be taking your future wife out tonight, how would you want him to treat her? Do you want him to kiss her goodnight? Hold her hand for two hours? Be alone with her? Would you rather he just leave her home?

Or girls, what if you knew your future husband was taking out another girl this weekend? How would you want this girl to act towards your future husband? Would you want hand holding? Cuddling? Kissing? Or would you not want her going out with him?

I believe dating or “going out” is more of a preparation for divorce than marriage.

The above is just a few of many reasons I am committed to Courtship, and have given my heart to my Dad, whom I trust with my life, until he authorizes “the one” to win my heart, with a vow that if he wins my heart, we will one day marry.

age = 13-16