The Importance of Sex

Let me see your face; let me hear your voice. For your voice is pleasant, and your face is lovely. Song of Solomon 2:14

Why is sex such an important part of marriage? We are sexual creatures by God’s design. The most obvious purpose of sexuality is reproduction, but that is not the only one.

A second purpose is companionship. God said of Adam, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). God’s answer was the creation of Eve and the institution of marriage, about which Scripture says, “The two are united into one” (Genesis 2:24). That’s true literally and metaphorically. In sexual intercourse, we bond with each other. It is the opposite of being alone. It is deep intimacy, deep companionship.

A third purpose of sex is pleasure. The Song of Solomon is replete with illustrations of the pleasure of relating to each other sexually within marriage. The descriptive phrases may be foreign to our culture (an American man wouldn’t typically compare his wife’s teeth to sheep, for example), but the intent is clear: Maleness and femaleness are meant to be enjoyed by marriage partners.

Sex was not designed to be placed on the shelf after the first few years of marriage. God’s desire is that we find and enjoy mutual sexual love throughout our married life.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for creating sex as a means for procreation, companionship, and pleasure. May all of those purposes be fulfilled in our marriage.