50 Praise of Intimacy

 Books are doing strange things to people nowadays. Recently, I came across a new fad of a...uh...romance book, if you can call it that. My knowledge of a certain romance book is limited. After hearing references to the book on television, the internet, and even from some people, I did what any intelligent person would do - I googled. Then I promptly washed my eyeballs. Apparently, "Christian" women are reading this kind of stuff! Ahhh! Just stop...please.

  Let's put away fantasy and lust and take up a godly replacement to focus on what is right. Let's grow our marriages for the glory of God. Although marital intimacy is not the only reason to seek marriage, nor the most important, I will focus on it since this seems to be the driving force of slipping away from Truth. So here you go, 50 praise of marital intimacy ...okay, it is really just 10 not 50. But, they are a heavy, punch-packing 10 that might feel like 50:

•  Marital intimacy is a display of Christ and the church and of meaningful covenant. Family and friends benefit from your healthy, godly marriage and you glorify God.
•  Marital intimacy is not shameful. God created our bodies and within those bodies is the capacity to experience feelings and sensations that only exist within sex. God could have made procreation happen in any way but He designed it with man and woman becoming one and He made it pleasurable.
• Marital intimacy celebrates God's Word, especially Genesis 2. In it we see that Adam wanted what he saw the creatures had and what he experienced with God - someone like him that also offers companionship, comfort, love, and ultimately intimacy. We can nurture this by asking, "how can I serve my husband and please God?"
• Marital intimacy is surprising and exciting. When Adam awoke to find a custom built creation just for him, he was so enthralled that he lost all thought and immediately staked his claim on this amazing creature. God could have created man and woman at the same time and they just awaken together. Instead He created man, exposed a desire in him, and before Adam could become dissatisfied, God caused him to rest in His care. You can imagine that he explored this creation and how God made her fit him so perfectly.
• Marital intimacy is a secret of two people becoming one. I cannot think of anything more intimate than two people sharing everyday life. You know each other's struggles, pains, heartaches, and weaknesses. But, also all of your body is solely his and his body is solely yours. Your work will only get a limited part of you, even your child will get a limited part but when you come together with your husband as God first put man and woman together - au naturale, it's an experience of your whole being. Do you really need a fantasy book???
• Marital intimacy requires learning to love as Christ. It is a loving of the image from which one is created and goes beyond physical. Why would you want to distort it by welling up desires for something you do not have?
• Marital intimacy is a glue that bonds together. Have you ever met a couple that no longer shares a room and rarely talks to each other? There is an obvious gap and a sadness. Do you know of a couple that has been married for eons and they still smile at each other from across the room? You can feel their connection and joy. It speaks volumes to all around.
• Marital intimacy makes us grow, particularly in the fruits of the Spirit. God definitely can use marriage as a means of sanctification. Depravity has little room to hide when you spend time together and even more so when you bring infants into the picture. You must grow.
• Marital intimacy grows deeper and stronger the more you grow in the Lord. It may seem strange that the you more you love God above all else, the more you love your husband but it is one of God's amazing works. 
• Marital intimacy is joyous and fulfilling. Don't believe me? Live life with a husband for 5 years, 10 years or more while serving the Lord, you'll see. It becomes a precious blessing on earth.

 Ladies, be strong and persevere. You want to spice up your marriage? Seek to understand the wondrous creation that God intended it to be. Ask God to do a work in your heart, do not seek a work that is built on sand. The Author of life, intimacy, sex, and all other creation knows best. Learn what He has to say. Trust Him and then teach the younger women so that they understand that looking outside of what God has given us stirs up a discontent, a drawing away from holiness, and weakens the desire for what we have been given. 

  May it be that the only shades of gray in our lives are that which has brought wisdom, the ones that naturally appear on our heads. If you find yourself in other gray areas, get in the Word and also let others pray for you and keep you accountable. Challenge yourself to come up with 50 praise, pull out Titus 2 and 1 Timothy 2 and live it.

Philippians 4:8-9: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."