Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. — 1 John 2:15-16
In 1980, a very corny and predictable movie called, Urban Cowboy, was made by Paramount Pictures. It starred John Travolta and Debra Winger, who played the roles of Bud and Sissy and its location was a Houston, Texas, nightclub called Gilley’s, which was billed as, “The Largest Honkytonk in the World.” It was so big (44,000 square feet), that you couldn’t see from one end of the dance floor to the other. If you happened to have seen the movie, or have been there, you’ll also remember the mechanical bull ride that challenged the virility of the mostly cowboy clientele and gave them a chance to show off for the ladies.
A country singer by the name of Johnny Lee was the leader of the house band at Gilley’s when the movie was made and he became a huge success in the country music field when the movie was released. If there were any redeeming qualities of the movie, it was probably the music, which was actually quite good—as secular music goes. One of the songs topped the country charts as soon as it came off the sound track. It was called, “Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places.” It was a song about lonely people looking for other lonely people and hoping to find love and acceptance and someone who really cared—for longer than a one night stand. The lyrics are revealing. Perhaps you’ve been where the song takes us. Perhaps you know someone’s who’s there right now.
Well I spent a lifetime looking for you
Single bars and good time lovers were never true
I was looking for love in all the wrong places
Looking for love in too many faces
Searching their eyes looking for traces
Of one I’m dreaming of
Hoping to find a friend and a lover
I’ll bless the day I discover
Another—looking for love
If you’ll allow me to also be a bit corny and predictable, I’d like to ask you a much overworked question today, “What’s wrong with this picture?” Everything—according to God. Something’s missing!
Where do we find true love anyway? Are there any “right places?” Where does God encourage us to look or warn us not to look? Does He have a better plan than the “Gilley’s” of the world? (By the way, if you’re ever in Houston, don’t bother to look for Gilley’s—someone burned it to the ground in 1990, never to rebuilt).
As always, God and His word (John 3:16) are the best places for anyone to search for true love—the kind that lasts forever (Romans 5:5). Chances are that you may be thinking of someone right now who needs to read this message. If so, would you take this opportunity to forward it to them along with your continued prayers? The Easter season is a great time to share the love that only Jesus can bring into the human heart and change it forever. Maranatha!
To help us walk closer with God and to know Him better
