As I begin this blog it is almost 3:30 AM.
This is not my normal writing time, but the last ten hours of my life have not been normal.
I am sitting in the emergency room of Vanderbilt Hospital with my oldest son.
After being hit by a pickup truck while riding his bike, his worst injury is only a broken ankle. That’s the good news.
However, his ankle suffered what’s called a talar neck fracture, and is so severe it might not be able to heal properly. Evidently, there are a couple key blood vessels that are attached to this bone. The odds are those blood vessels will die. And if they do, so will the bone.
But the surgeons at Vanderbilt believe that with intensive surgery involving plates and screws, the ankle might heal completely.
The key word is “MIGHT.”
The ankle MIGHT heal properly. Or it MIGHT not.
But they’re going to operate tomorrow morning and see what MIGHT happen.
You MIGHT get Married and You MIGHT Not
No one likes the word “might.”
We like sure things.
That MIGHT be why so many young people forego saving sex for marriage. They’re not certain they’ll ever marry, but there is no doubt they want sex.
But consider this: if you knew for sure that amazing married sex awaited you in the not-too-distant future, would that help you choose to save your first (or your next) sexual experience for then?
What’s that you say? “It MIGHT?”
Of course, the reality is that you MIGHT get married in the next year or so or you MIGHT not.
You MIGHT not get married at all. And even if you do, you MIGHT experience the gravity-defying sex of your dreams and you MIGHT not.
Life isn’t a sure thing. But one thing is sure. You get to choose the risks you take. And then you have to live with the consequences.
So what kind of risk is worthy of your soul?
The MIGHT of Purpose-Driven Dating
For the last several months we’ve been talking about purpose-driven dating, which we define as: Intentional time invested in one other person for the purpose of growing in intimacy that MIGHT lead to a life-giving, life-long marriage.
Did you see that dirty little five-letter word in there?
MIGHT.
It was only this past Spring when the same son, who I now watch sleeping in his hospital bed as I write, was thinking about pursing a relationship with a shy pretty girl at church. (I can neither confirm nor deny whether this was the same girl with whom he went to prom.)
Unfortunately for him, her future plans included going off to school in August.
He was pretty certain of her interest in him. He was certain of his own.
The future? Not so certain.
He didn’t want to move forward unless he knew it was going to work out. And how many long-distance relationships work out? Heck, what percentage of any dating relationships work out?
But as he considered the possibilities last Spring, he thought it just MIGHT work.
Live in the Moment for Eternity!
How about you?
Are you waiting for some mythological “sure thing” before you choose to risk your heart in an intentional dating pursuit?
Are you pursuing guidelines and procedures designed to eliminate all risk?
To eliminate the MIGHT?
Or, on the flip side, are you dating someone you know isn’t exactly right for you, but you hope they MIGHT change?
The fact is, you can’t trust the future, but you can trust the God who holds the future. And that God is going to call you to risk at some point in time; many points.
He’s going to ask you to build something no one understands, until the floods come; or to sacrifice something precious to you, but provide an alternative sacrifice at the last minute; or to step out into the unknown, only to find solid ground. He’s going to call you to lose your life for His sake that you might find it
So, choose to live in the moment like God already owns it; fully alive and free! Live in the moment for eternity!
Have the courage to pass on the risks you know aren’t right. In other words, don’t date someone you sense isn’t ready for a serious relationship, just because you can. In fact, don’t date someone before YOU are ready for a serious relationship!
But if you know someone who you (and those who know you and love you well) believe holds solid marriage potential, be courageous and take that risk. Ask them out! Say yes! Life is SHORT!
Seriously, when my son was thrown from his bike yesterday, he could have landed on his head and I wouldn’t be in this hospital. In the words of my favorite nurse, Barbara, “Child, you coulda been pushin up dasies!”
But my son didn’t die. And so he MIGHT be able to run again. Or he MIGHT not.
I don’t know.
However, I do know this. That pretty girl is coming to see him later today in the hospital, the day before she leaves for school. And I know it has been a great Summer for them both.
And who can say what the future MIGHT hold?
And at long last, next week we bring this Purpose-Driven Dating series to a close as we address the goal of this whole purpose driven dating.
[This post is one in a series on Purpose-Driven Dating which we define as follows: Intentional time invested in one other person for the purpose of growing in intimacy that might lead to a life-giving, life-long marriage. Our current focus: …MIGHT… The series begins with this post.]DNA: It’s What’s For Dating
Dug this weekend’s DNA? Tell your friends by liking or commenting on our FMU Facebook page or on your own Facebook page by clicking the button below.
The LoveEd study guide series, Beyond Sex & Salvation, will empower you to prepare for relational success when it counts: BEFORE YOU FALL IN LOVE! It’s NOT for couples, but for any wise individual who thinks they might want to get married sometime before they die. Check out the first two 8-lesson study guides in our store. You can walk through it on your own, but it’s more fun with friends, so consider putting together an FMU LoveEd small group study. Even better? And ask a married couple you respect to lead it!
