What Only Jesus Can Do For Women

I really loved this post by Lysa TerKeurst. So today’s blog is actually a blog she wrote. Please find the original post on her website. Enjoy, comment, share. It’s a good one.

Has anyone else struggled with the Twilight rage?

I’ll admit I have. It was the same struggle I had with the Harry Potter rage. But my kids were never interested in Harry Potter so it was a mute issue in my home.

Now, before we go any further, I have to say I’m not writing this post to debate whether or not Christians should see these kinds of movies. I’m not judging anyone that loves these novels and lets their kids read them.

I’m not.

I’m actually not even writing this post to debate the movies at all. I am writing this post to point out one danger in the twilight movies. Something for us all to consider, ponder, pray and if you have older teenage daughters who see the Twilight movies- discuss.

My first inclination was to tell my teenage daughters that we were absolutely not going to see movies about vampires and blood mixed with unrealistic teenage hormones. But then I decided I wanted to enter into a more intelligent discussion of my concerns over these movies than just saying, “vampires are bad.”

My daughters expect more from me than that. I expect more of myself. And as a Christian mom, I need to equip my daughters to approach things in this world not from a harsh judgmental view point- but rather a spiritually sound, discerning veiwpoint.

There will be lots of “Twilight” type situations along their spiritual journey. And I want them to be Jesus girls who can see through the surface of the story.

So, I went to see the “New Moon” movie last night.

On the surface, I now see why this series is so appealing to young girls. Cute boys. Teenage love. Danger from which the cute boys always rescue the girl. The feeling that the teenagers know more about life and love than any of the adults in the film. And the hope that it really is possible to find a love that escapes the realities of everyday life. A love that is always thrilling, always passionate, always fireworks and rose petals.

Therein lies the dangerous thread I want to address.

No man can ever be what these types of movies portray. And if young girls fall in love with the notion that they too can find a man who will sit by their bed and stare at them adoringly all night just to say, “I’ll protect you forever,” they will set themselves up for failure.

No man’s love is ever perfect. No man can protect his love against all the evils of the world. No man can ever satisfy the deepest longings of a woman. No man can ever fully complete the hole in a woman’s soul.

Because even a great man, makes for a very poor God.

Only Jesus can do this for a woman.

We were designed as women to crave the affections and attention of the Great Lover of our soul. We were designed to want that enchanting love song sung over us. We are the perfect match for an embrace so tenderly fierce it strips away all our insecurities and envelops us in the best way. Our hearts were designed to receive a love letter written with words that move us, change us, direct us, and complete us.

We were made to live in angst without Him and in joy with Him. Even when sorrow comes, He really can make all things okay.

Misplacing those affections by placing unrealistic expectations upon our earthly love is disappointing at best, devastating at worst.

Earthly love can be wonderful. But it won’t ever be complete. And setting our girls’ hearts up to desire this from a boy is not healthy.

I want my girls to have Jesus in the deepest parts of their soul so that they are free to one day tenderly, realistically, forgivingly, and excitedly give the gift of their purity to a young man.

A young man who will have to get past my shotgun toting husband with a load of questions and a keen awareness of just how precious his girls are. And a young man whose skin better not glow like diamonds. I’m just saying.

I know many will see this movie and think it’s a simple chick flick. A fun escape that doesn’t need to be discussed. But I think these things are worth considering for both teen girls and us big girls as well.