Friday, June 6, 2008 - The Call to Intimacy - 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8
The Lord designed sex as a pleasurable, intimate experience between a husband and wife. Sadly, popular media often corrupt the idea of intimacy. The media recast our God-given desire for physical, emotional, and spiritual connection as a physical necessity.
A prevailing philosophy considers sex a basic need for everyone. People who view life through this lens think abstinence requires more discipline than should be expected of people. They regard remaining pure for marriage as a burden.
If we go past the glamorous illusion of celebrity lifestyles, we find the world's system of casual sex with no commitment is based on lust. Lust is a selfish attitude based on what feels best for me and getting more.
In contrast, when God brings two people together through marriage, sex deepens their bond. He wants to create an intimate relationship of sacrificial love. This love has both parties looking for what is best for each other. This love connects them through mind, body, and spirit. For this to happen, there must be mutual respect, admiration, and a shared commitment to the welfare of a partner and family.
Sex intensifies intimacy when practiced according to God's will. God's will is sex between a married man and woman. Sinful attitudes and behaviors enslave people to selfish desires that achieve only brief satisfaction. Genuine liberty is found in intimacy with our heavenly Father and through Him with others.
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