7 Relationship Goals for Your MarriageSample

#5 - deepening physical intimacy

Mark: I’m glad that God invented sex! I enjoy giving Christine pleasure, and I love it when she receives that. I don’t just want her body; I want to express my love for her physically.

Christine: I want—and need—to feel emotionally close to Mark. I also need time to "get in the mood." For me sex is more like the "icing on the cake" . . . we have to "bake the cake" first through growing emotional intimacy.

Many couples enjoy healthy sex lives, but for others it can be an area of their marriage with which they struggle. Some may even feel that they are failing in some way. 

Many things can get in the way of a mutually satisfying sex life:

• Our different needs and seasons of life.
• Communication struggles.
• Tiredness, stress, and health conditions.
• Traps like pornography.

God made us as physical beings and we're "fearfully and wonderfully made." 

As husband and wife, we’re designed to fit together perfectly as "one flesh." There is nothing shameful in this.

God means sex to be good: for bonding, pleasure, and reproduction. 

For many couples sex is a sensitive and tricky issue, and there can be seasons in a marriage where sexual frequency is low. It’s good to find ways of expressing our love in a physical way that is mutually satisfying and honors God. 

We express our deep commitment and love for one another through a faithful and loving sexual relationship. 

REFLECTION

How do, or can, I express deep love and commitment for my partner in a physical way that meets their needs and honors God?

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of sex and the way it bonds us deeply in our love and commitment for one another. Help us to deepen our love for each other both emotionally and physically in ways that honor you.