Say Yes To Sex
In its proper context, God loves sex. He could have gone with the stork or the cabbage patch, as procreative means, but God had other plans. Often times it seems that the topic of chastity can be summed up as: “no!” In fact, chastity at its core is all about “yes! By trusting Christ and following His plan, we discover what the devil is trying to hide.
Consider This Example:
Most blow dryers come with a tag that states, “do not use under water.” Why, you ask? Apparently enough multi-taskers out there thought they could wash and dry at the same time. The manufacturers were then obligated to inform everyone that this is a very bad plan. Does anyone become angry with the blow dryer people? Do you throw up your hands in anger proclaiming, “Who are they to tell me how to use my blow dryer?” Of course not! They have only provided you with this guideline because they made the blow dryer, and they have insight into how it works. I am sure you are free to use it in the shower if you would like, but the creators would like to warn you that it won’t be a happy ending. Perhaps your Creator desires to advise you in the way you use His masterpiece. This isn’t just to prevent disaster, but also so you can use it to glorify Him.
That’s because marital sex is sacramental:
That’s right; I just put the words “sex” and “sacrament” in the same sentence. One way of understanding a Sacrament is to think of it as an outward sign of an inward grace. God gave us the Sacraments so that we wouldn’t miss the extraordinary things that He wants to do in our lives! It is a way that we get to see, hear, feel, and experience a supernatural reality that is happening within the depths of our souls. In the Sacraments we are given a chance to physically witness a greater spiritual reality. The sexual act within the context of marriage can also be thought of as a visible sign of an invisible reality. It is meant to make us holier in order for us to use our bodies to give glory to God. This means that sexual intercourse is a moment where a couple receives grace! In marriage we can be sanctified through sexual union!
In the sexual act of marriage, God joins with His creation in order to create:
It is in the sexual act that we become co-creators with God. Stop and think about that for a moment. Mind.Blown. We can glimpse into the mystery of the Trinity by looking at the structure of the family. In the Trinity, God is revealed as an eternal communion of life-giving love. In marriage this gift of self is expressed on a human level in the union of a married couple. Sex was created as an outward manifestation of an inward reality: Love. The potential of this exchange is so powerful that nine months later, you give it a name. No, God didn’t choose the stork; He decided instead to involve us in His creative power.
Now, if you were the devil, where would you focus your most strategic attack on mankind?
The devil has succeeded in making sex seem so casual, yet simultaneously making us believe that it is dirty. The average person probably has no idea that there is anything holy about it!
If sexuality is meant to unite us to God by way of the family, then Satan certainly believes in making a great effort to distort this reality. Imagine that God’s plan for love and marriage is like an amazing feast. The Lord is diligently preparing this banquet for you and can’t wait to usher you in as soon as He is ready! On the other hand, the devil tries to dissuade you from waiting by enticing you to feast on the raw meat. We have the freedom to wait for what is to come or settle for the quick and easy. God has incredible plans for you, the question is: will you say yes?
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Katie Hartfiel is an author and speaker dedicated to sharing the intense love of God. She graduated Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she received a degree in Theology. She served as a youth minister for seven years in Houston, where she now resides with her husband, Mark, and two daughters. In 2012, Katie released her first book, Woman in Love (available at womaninlove.org).
