Daily Devotional
Intimacy: A Valuable Gift from God
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God.”
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
February 25, 2024
Ponder This
Intimacy in marriage is a form of communication. It’s a way of knowing someone. It’s a way of saying, “I love you” that cannot be put into words. It’s very beautiful. Sometimes we have been taught to think of sex as dirty or impure. Outside the bonds of matrimony, it is. But inside the bonds of matrimony, it’s pure and wonderful. So, when the Bible says, “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14), or “Flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18), it’s important to understand God is not trying to keep sex from you; God is keeping sex for you.
In my office, I have a picture on the wall. It’s an ordinary picture: if someone stole it, there’d be no great loss, and if it got damaged, there’d be no great problem. But if it were a Rembrandt, a Van Gogh, or something like that, it would probably be in a vault because it would be so valuable. I wouldn’t want it marred, misused, or abused. When God puts these high walls around sex it’s because it is so valuable. And God wants us to cherish it as His special gift.
- What were you taught about sex as a child? How has that affected you as an adult?
- How do you treat something when it is valuable to you?
Practice This
Thank God for making valuable things and ask Him to help you prize the things He values.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
