Monday, February 18, 2008

Your Challenge Should You Choose to Accept It...

Ever hear the saying, “Great minds think alike?” Well, today is a prime example of the statement. Last night I was surfing some church sites and came across “Relevant Church” and their 30 Day Sex Challenge Campaign.

The challenge for those who choose to accept it? Married couples are challenged to have sex every day for 30 days while those who are single are challenged to abstain. Before I get bludgeoned to death… No, I do not advocate sex outside of marriage. With that said, let’s be honest… there is some hanky panky going on inside the church folks… it happens. So, what better way to recommit one’s self to abstain until marriage by accepting this challenge! ? Statistics say that practicing something for 30 days will create a new habit. This could be quite the new habit for all us married folks, huh!? Can I get a big Amen?

I understand that this “challenge” is causing quite an uproar among Christians (why? Don’t they have sex anymore!???) and also has stirred the media. In my opinion with 53% of US marriages ending up in divorce I doubt 30 days of sex will hurt any married couple!!!

Sex should never be something that anyone takes for granted. If you are married, it is a wonderful benefit for both the husband and wife and should never be used as a bargaining chip or something earned or denied. Let me share a somewhat humorous story with you…

There was a couple attending our church in the south. They were having some marital issues. Neither party was innocent but to honest the wife had some serious issues. One of the problems they had was she was withholding sex from her husband. She was very ugly about it too and very vocal as well. Craig and I advised them and prayed with them however, this was one area she refused to let up in. She made remarks that “if he was good then he would be allowed to have sex with her once a year, on his birthday.”

A month later she fell into my arms a huge mess. I asked her what was wrong and she said that that she was pregnant and it was all her husband’s fault! Well, that was partly true anyway! It seems her husband had a birthday and he’d gotten a gift. J Guess what it was?

Now, I am not saying the baby was a punishment, no, not at all. But this couple was such a mess she then blamed him for the unplanned pregnancy too. Most of their issues could have been worked out, however, she had defiled the marriage bed with her attitude and bitter spirit. Sadly this couple did split up shortly after the birth of their baby.

This couple had issues, oh yes… major ones. However, the intimacy sex brings between a married couple also brings other things as well. It is the “connection” with one another, finding time for one another, making a decision to celebrate one another.

On the other side, single folks take sex for granted when they partake in an act meant to be shared only by married couples. Let’s be honest, is there really any glory in “hooking up” within hours of meeting? Single gals, is there any value felt in a one night stand? Sex, making love, was meant to be an intimate time shared between a man and woman who have devoted their hearts and lives to one another through marriage, in that place only will sex fail to be taken for granted.

If you are interested in the “challenge” go to http://www.relevantchurch.com/images/blog/30dayg.pdf for the complete guide for married couples and the guide for singles. Relevant Church, www.relevantchurch.com is pastored by Pastor Paul Wirth and his wife Susie. They are located in Ybor City, Florida, right outside of Tampa.

Oh, and about the “great minds thinking alike” statement… my friend Pastor Deanna (https://lifetimeintimateportraitds.blogspot.com ) just blogged on the same topic…

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is great!!! I may need to propose this to my husband - maybe it will give us a jump start on that baby we're hoping for this year, lol!!!!

I totally agree with everything you and Deanna blogged on this topic :o).

Dr. Deanna DossShrodes said...

Awesome Tara, great minds DO think alike.

I wish people today could see the Biblical truth in this...it's amazing how many have their heads in the sand...