let's talk about...

...sex.

Erin nicely informed me yesterday that Mark Driscoll over at Mars Hill Church in Seattle just began a sermon series on the Song of Songs. Of course, the Song of Songs is an extremely intimate and even erotic book, in which Solomon and his wife engage in physical intimacy (and it's in the Bible...how sweet!). I have begun watching Driscoll preach on this topic, and so far it is awesome. I really enjoy how much he values marriage and his family (and oftentimes that is expressed in hilarious practical applications).

Watching these sermons reminded me of my early months as a Christian, in which I listened to a sermon series about sex, money, and power (or something like that) from Rock Harbor Church in Orange County. I remember how much listening to honest discussion about God's view of sex transformed my mind and heart, and ultimately led me down a path towards purity. It was so good for me to learn about the goodness of sex in the context of marriage, and that it is a gift from God meant to be enjoyed. How awesome is that! Sex is a taboo subject within the Christian subculture, and that is unfortunate and damaging to the body (who lives amongst a culture with perverted and distorted views of sex). It is a tainted topic with baggage for most of us, and we need to drench ourselves in the truth about it if we are to "...eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

PLEASE, I beg you, if you have never really thought about or seeked out God's design for physical intimacy, begin that journey NOW. It is not something just for marrieds to discuss; we all need to have an accurate view of sex, even if it is not a part of our lives. And, if you know that your view is incorrect or confused, DO NOT wait around until you meet that special someone to discover how God's design for sex can influence your life now.

Here are some helpful resources:

• The Peasant Princess series from Mars Hill Church (which is good so far, minus the distracting neon stage lights... what the heck?!)
  
• Shoreline also preached a series on love and romance (I forget the title) in which sex was addressed. You can access those sermons here.
• Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. There is a sweet chapter in there for ladies, titled "What every Christian wife needs to know," in which Carolyn Mahaney practically instructs women on how to view (and seek out) physical intimacy with their husbands.
• I would love to communicate with you if you are concerned, confused, or afraid of sex (or just want to toss around ideas about it). Girls only, please! I just want to clarify that I am not an expert, nor do I have all the answers. But, my ideas and understanding of sex have radically changed throughout my walk with Christ, and I would love to share how He has transformed me.
  

If God wrote an entire book of the Bible about the topic (and Paul/other NT writers warn against sexual immorality A LOT), then we should at least consider what God has to say about it, and what that means for our lives now. Let's talk about it!