Integrity In The Area Of SexSample

Playing With Fire

Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? - Pro 6:26

Sexual desire is like a fire that spreads as soon as it is lit. For a man, something he sees or a thought that pops up in his mind can be enough to ignite it. For a woman, if she is emotionally involved with a man, things can move fast from one step to another. The way our brain works is like this ─ once it perceives a sexual stirring, it starts a chain of events in preparation for the act. Then our reason and will begin to have less and less control on our actions. That explains why many people end up doing things they never planned to do!

But sex is a great gift from God which, apart from procreation, helps us to express our love and oneness with our spouse in a most intimate and pleasurable way. This pleasure is not just physical but also mental, and that is why we can enjoy it best with someone we love.

When one attempts it outside of marriage, it will be fraught with the fear of getting caught or of consequences like broken relationships, loss of reputation, diseases, etc. That is why God Himself has confined sexual relationship to within the marriage.

It is possible to forget all about consequences when we are moved by an infatuation or experience the pressure of temptation. That is why we can’t deal with it ‘when we come to it’, because if we go a little too far, it may become impossible to stop. That happened to David when he allowed his gaze to rest on Bathsheba instead of quickly turning away. One thing led to another, and we see the damage it did to David, the families and even the nation. We can’t play with this fire without getting burned.

But we also have the challenging example of Joseph who kept his integrity in spite of strong provocation and a seemingly "favorable" situation.

Lord, You know how vulnerable I could be when faced with temptation in the area of sex. Help me, and teach me how to deal with it. Amen