She embodies beauty, both inside and out. But she also carries the burden of deep shame due to the actions of a selfish man. Far from harmless, his hands not only touched her, but they robbed her of security and honor. Perhaps he saw it as a game—simply sacrificing her innocence on the altar of a sex-saturated culture. But, to her, it resulted in a painful, lifelong wound of the heart and mind.
As much as God delights in giving gifts to His people, the powers of darkness thrill in depleting hope, destroying peace, and devastating hearts (John 10:10). Few weapons are as pervasive as the chaos they create in the perversion of sexual intimacy. Single or married, young or old, male or female, the fallout from those affected has been extensive.
A restorative picture of God’s design for sexual intimacy, the Song of Songs strips away our pretenses about love as we discover the power of God’s passion for us. He became for us the very Love that was as strong as death (Song of Songs 8:6), a Love willing to be crucified (John 3:16).
Caring little about our shame, and encouraging us to live without sexual restraint, the powers of darkness want us to live in sexual brokenness. Few, if any of us, will escape this world unscathed in some way or another. God, however, was not unaware.
Like the lover who reminds his beloved that the barren winter has passed, He calls us from our place of shame and desolation. He makes all things new (Isaiah 43:19). No sin is too great, no shame too weighty, no lie from the enemy too powerful. Only one question remains: will we love Him in return? (Song of Songs 6:3; 1 John 4:10).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 15:1-10
More:
Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and consider why sexual sin is devastating to our love relationship with God.
Next:
How have your experiences in life shaped your understanding of sex? What is God’s view of it, and how will you live it out?
ehdlive on August 14, 2013 at 7:25 am
The wonderful things He has prepared for us, who love Him, have not yet crossed our mind, nor ever have reached our eyes and ears to be seen and heard by them, respectively. These good things are intended for us whatever our dark past maybe.
tom felten on August 14, 2013 at 10:08 am
Regina, thanks for pointing us toward purity and holiness . . . something God requires and that leads to true joy and fulfillment. Recently, I had the opportunity to share with a number of teens at a camp about God’s perfect plan for sexual intimacy—something beautiful to be shared in marriage alone. So much heartache and pain will be avoided if we follow God’s plan. And, as you stated, His grace can purify those who have repented of their sin (1 John 1:9), allowing them to find healing, restoration, and hope in Him!