If I were to say, "Romance," what would come to your mind? Would you see paperback novels? Chic-Flic Movies? Knights, dragons, and fair maidens? Heroes risking life and limb for their one true love? The dictionary on my shelf describes romance as, "A narrative depicting heroic and marvelous achievements" and "strong emotion and sentiment." I guess I would say it this way: "The heroic acts of a man to win the heart of his one true love." Romance is not a teenage girl sitting in her room counting daisy petals. Romance is noble, it is beautiful. That’s why I love it.

   I like romantic stories where the guy gets the girl, but only after a long, hard struggle. I like books like, "Rob Roy," "Pride and Prejudice," and "Girl of the Limberlost." I like movies like, "The Man from Snowy River," "That Thing You Do," and "A Walk to Remember" (among other great movies). None of these stories would be the same without the romantic element. But there is one story that outshines them all. In this story the distance that the hero goes to prove his love, and the sacrifice he makes for her, is astoundingly incredible. This is the story of Jesus Christ and His love for the Church. It is told starting at the first verse in Genesis, continues to the last verse of Revelation, climaxes in the Gospels, and won’t end until the day that Christ carries His bride over the threshold of Heaven’s gates.

   In a world where true beauty is overlooked and under-rated, the sheer beauty in this story is breathtaking. The Hero gives His all, not only to save His beloved, but to fulfill her, to make her whole and holy. This Romance is the basis of all other romances, it is the Romance of romances, for its Hero is the Hero of heroes. It is also the story of our lives. Christ is the Hero and Savior, and we, the Church, are His bride. He is the initiator, we the responder. He is active, we are reactive. There is a definite beauty in this. Christ calls, we respond and obey, and He makes us pure and holy so that we may serve Him and thus find joy in sweet communion with Him. God has called this arrangement good and pleasing in His sight, and that is what makes it beautiful.

   We are living in a world that does not know true beauty. Our music is loud and obnoxious, our art is abstract and ugly, and our romance is perverted and defiled. All of these were created by God to be vehicles of beauty, good and pleasing to behold. But we have regrettably lost this sense of beauty, and we must strive to regain it. The way to do that is to seek from God’s own word what is pleasing and beautiful to His eyes, and He tells us that the relationship between Christ and the Church is such. It is after this relationship that we find the model for the relationship between man and woman, our romance. The man is to act as Christ to the woman, while she acts as the Church to him. This is a beautiful and sanctified relationship.

   God has given us this romance. It is a good thing, when the roles are played properly, when the man is the hero and woman is the maiden. But we have twisted this. Even Christians have sat back and let the maiden try to be the hero. But the fault does not lie only with the maiden. While she dons armor that is three times too big for her, the man, who should be playing the hero, pops a cold Silver Bullet and sits back to watch the show, as she takes on the dragons. This is not how it is supposed to be! The irony of it, though, is that we seem to accept this situation willingly. Some even encourage it. But it should not be so. God has given us, as male and female, distinct roles, and He has called this distinction good, fitting, and even beautiful. Elisabeth Elliot calls this distinction a gift, given by grace and love. This distinction was designed to be complimentary.

   When ladies rejoice in their femininity, as defined by God, and guys strive to be real men, as defined by God, their relationships prosper in ways that we can’t imagine. This is because such relationships glorify God, because they are in obedience to Him. This is the kind of romance we should celebrate and emulate.

   What I’m not saying is to go find a boyfriend or girlfriend so you can live the Christian kind of romance. What I’m saying is that if we fill our lives with books, movies, and songs that encourage a selfish romance, one that is not based around Christ and the Church, we will not know what it is like when we see it. What I am saying is that if we are not living lives, right now, while we are single, that practice the kind of love that is displayed in the Christ-Church relationship, we will not be able to when we become involved in romance.

   Young ladies, do not be ashamed of your femininity! Rejoice in it! Many look down on the Biblical model of femininity as prejudiced, and even punishing. But I say that it is a thing of honor for a Christian young lady to have the quiet graces that can only come from being Biblically feminine. Where would Christ be without the Church in His Romance? And where would the Church be without women who rejoice in their God-given role?

   Likewise, young men, where would the Church be without Christ? And where would the Church be without men who strive to realize and fulfill their masculinity and rejoice in it (and its beauty)? All the femininity in the world is in vain without real masculinity. As Christ fulfills the Church, masculinity fulfills femininity, and in a beautiful way. Despite the popular opinion of the world, masculinity is not devoid of beauty. There is a certain glory in strength properly displayed.