Marriage Devotions: Sexless Marriages - 1 Corinthians 7:5

1 Corinthians 7:5       Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

I’ll say this for Paul: he’s not afraid to discuss really intimate questions when it comes to Christians and sex. He’s no Dr. Ruth, but he does take time to address marital issues that still affect couples today. In this passage, 1 Corinthians 7:1-7, he’s describing the spiritual benefits to a celibate partnership, or what’s commonly known as a ‘sexless marriage’ today. About 20% of married couples live like this, especially as they grow older together. Intimacy evolves into a unique companionship, where love is expressed in terms of friendship and care. Sex is no longer important and is gradually replaced with faithful support. To be cherished and respected, cared for and understood are what most long term partners seek from one another.

This is not easy to achieve, but with time and patience it can be accomplished. Most marriages go through rough patches and rocky times, but if two people are willing to trust one another, to forgive their failures, and even let go of past mistakes, the blessings of a long term relationship can be realized. And even though Paul may have had his own personal philosophy about Christian people remaining unmarried in order to fully serve the Lord, he also must have encountered Christian couples whose years of forgiveness and devotion to one another were a great gift from God and a blessing to the faith community.

Questions for personal reflection

What is Christian marriage? What can churches do to support married people?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You call all of us to be Your servants, whether we are single, married, divorced, or widowed. Bless our relationships with other people and if we become partnered to another person, let Your love be known in our faithfulness and forgiveness to one another. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Psalm Project drawings. It features a verse from Psalm 45 which is also known as the Wedding Psalm. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3585/3337212336_69281c9a8d_b.jpg

Devotions: Church and Sex - 1 Corinthians 6:18

1 Corinthians 6:18     Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

This is a tough passage. What the apostle Paul would call sexual immorality and what we interpret it as being today are miles apart. In his day, sexual immorality could involve anything outside of marital sexuality. These days, mutual consensual sexuality, even among non-married folks, is not widely considered to be immoral.

This dilemma is not only affecting the church, it’s also shaping our society. Less people are getting married and there are more single mothers in our communities. What this shows me is that the men get to play the field, whereas the women are stuck with the consequences. In places like Africa, this also has fatal penalties where children are born with HIV. Sexual liberty may be what a free society wants, but in the end innocents suffer from boundless degeneracy.

Perhaps the Church has to refocus its attention on the values of long-term commitment that couples can share with one another. It’s not an easy path to take, but it does have a lot of benefits and blessings for the whole of society. Maybe we should emphasize Paul’s statements about our bodies belonging to God, not as a means of puritanically maintaining sexual morality, but as a positive way of maintaining long term partnerships. Everyone deserves to be loved, and if that love is sustained over a lifetime, it will become more meaningful and more effective in our communities and across society.

Questions for personal reflection

How would I define sexual immorality? How different is my definition from Paul’s?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we pray for the blessings of long term relationships in our communities. We ask that You bless those who have maintained their love across many years. Help them to encourage and inspire our younger generations to seek those same blessings in their own partnerships and lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is a photograph of the latest edition of the Ministry and Liturgy magazine which is published by the Roman Catholic Church across America. The front cover has one of John’s Christmas drawings. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5334/9898277415_7a0441075b_b.jpg

Daily Devotions: Walking in Love - 2 John 1:6

2 John 1:6        And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love.

Sometimes the best moments in a marriage are the simple things that happen. The other day Evelyn and I were walking together in the local mall. We weren’t saying much, but we were just holding hands as we passed the stores. At one point Evelyn leaned over to me and quietly said, “I like it when we hold hands.” And do you know what? I like it too.

Like every other married couple, we’ve had our moments of crisis and times of disagreement. However, I’ve discovered that the older you get and the longer you are married, the more you feel complete with your partner. Marriage is not an easy journey, but longevity in a partnership brings about special blessings and I feel grateful for the thirty years that we have shared.

Faith in Jesus is also meant to be that way. In the Bible, we’re told that the Church is actually the Bride of Christ. We walk with our Lord not just as servants and followers, but as God’s children who are loved through His grace. In other words, Christ lovingly takes us by the hand and leads us through this life to eternity. Now, that is a long term relationship!

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for loving us and for walking beside us each day of our lives. Help us to share that love with the world. Let Your Church be known for its compassion and care. Let Your followers take the hands of those who need healing, comfort, and love. Let us delight in the days You grant us and celebrate life as a sacred gift. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

John has just published a devotional e-book which you can find listed on Amazon.com at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/60-Devotions-Church-Meetings-ebook/dp/B005EMXQUU

Today’s drawing is John’s an early morning depiction of the bridges in Knoxville, which he has called “Knoxville Dawn.” You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4823079492_0bca604219_b.jpg