Sexual Conduct - Emily

I was kind of hoping this was going to be an easy read but it turned out to be a lot more then what I was expecting. Mary made a ton of good points... I have a lot of underlines in this chapter!! Growing up, the main message I heard (and the one that is still pushed the most) was just "don't do it", regarding sex. And as Mary points out, it is SO MUCH MORE than that. It all ties into a plan that is WAY bigger then us. Woah!

She talked about intimacy for a couple pages and that is what stuck out to me the most. How God used himself as the pattern when creating man and woman and the design for our relationship with each other... that blows my mind. Hubby has often shared that he wishes we could communicate without words, like sometimes to just be able to know what the other is thinking. From time to time that does happen and it's a sweet moment, but it does require 'talking' and being on the same page about things to know that we are both having the same thoughts. Sometimes I've thought it's kind of silly but it makes more sense thinking of it in light of God's design for our intimacy. Think of the couples who are together for 50+ years and then one spouses passes and the other feels like he/she lost half of themselves... that's real and true intimacy. And I am heartbroken at all the many crafty ways the devil has come against this in marriages! There are so many ways couples are divided today and it's just the norm.... his money, her money... his car, her car... all sorts of things. Not that it's bad to have 2 incomes or 2 cars but the idea of one or the other 'owning' it, rather than it being mutual between husband and wife... see what I mean?

I have found that when I take time to pray before sex, clearing my mind and inviting God to be a part of what we're doing, praising Him for who He created us to be and thanking Him for our relationship - the fulfillment is so much richer! God designed sex to reflect a part of Himself, he wants us to enjoy it and delight in it always!

Thank you Lord that you love us so much! Thank you for using the things closest to us (husbands and families) to help grow us to being more like you! May we keep in mind an eternal persepctive in the way we approach sex within our marriage and seek to continually raise our standards higher in our conduct with others.