Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Be intoxicated with your spouse... Proverbs 5:15-19

A few noteworthy items from the series on marriage that our church is going through...

How do you stay faithful to your spouse - in your heart?
Proverbs 4:23-27   GUARD YOUR HEART! 

HOW?  Guard the gateways to your heart...
1) Guard your mouth (Proverbs 4:24) - guard what you say; stay away from flirtatious speech.  Do you put bait out just to see if someone is interested...to feed your ego?

2) Guard your eyes (Proverbs 4:25) - guard what you look at.  Be careful of what you read/watch...does it ignite fantasies that could sew discontent in your heart?

3) Guard your feet (Proverbs 4:26) - intentionally plan where you go.  Do you drive by somewhere you shouldn't?  Do you walk past that neighbor's house to perhaps talk with him/her? Do you hang out at work in places that may put you at risk?

Are there any areas of your life in which you are leaving your heart vulnerable to another person by what you are saying, what you are looking at, or where you are going?
We have a very real enemy who would love to seduce us in order to steal anything and everything worth having in our lives.  Proverbs 5:1-14 remind us that the "lips of the forbidden woman (or man) drip honey and her words are smoother than oil..."  The temptation of unfaithfulness is very ALLURING.  God's Word tells us to flee, to stay far away, that we will be burned if we go down the forbidden road.  These verses also tell us that unfaithfulness is dangerous and will lead to poverty (Prov. 7:7-14.)

Proverbs 6:27-29 uses the illustration that it is like scooping burning coals in your lap for the one who plays with unfaithfulness.

So...how can we stay faithful to our spouse in our heart?
Be intoxicated with your spouse.  Be captivated by him/her.  Make your spouse be the standard for everything.  Focus your passion on him/her.  Touch/embrace your spouse before you leave and when you arrive.

Jason and I have had some good laughs together about this whole "intoxicated" thing.  Song of Songs 5:14-16  is part of a love poem and portrays the love a bride has for her groom.  We like to quote verse 14, "His arms are rods of gold..."  And, he left me a voice mail today telling me that he is intoxicated with me and just may get pulled over while driving and receive a DUIP - "Driving Under the Influence of Precious!"  So cheesy!!!  My man is the funniest guy I know.  "His mouth is sweetness.  He is absolutely desirable.  This is my love, and this is my friend..."-Songs of Songs 5:16.  That's the good stuff.

We have two choices... the wisdom of God or folly (Proverbs 9 - Wisdom versus Foolishness.)  Which voice is shaping you?  Whose invitation are you accepting?  Sexual faithfulness flows from a real, growing relationship with God.  He is our only hope. 

No comments: