Like Salt & Pepa: Let's Talk About S-x

I’m giving a talk on spirituality & relationships tonight. Specifically, the physical side of romantic relationships, and how it connects to our interactions with God, ourselves, and the world around us.

(Funny side note: My sister just called. I said, “I can’t talk now...I’m in the weeds...I’m working on a talk about s-x.” To which she replied with a sigh, “Okay, we’ve been over this…never have s-x in the weeds! Now what else don’t you understand?” Love her :) )

Okay, back to tonight: As I’ve thought about approaching this complicated subject, what I keep coming back to is this strange discrepancy--How all too often (if we’re spiritually inclined) it seems like we twist ourselves into a knot trying to figure out:

a.) What God wants from us; and

b.) How we can do what we want to do without losing God's love/blessing/approval.

Even when we’re not quite so blunt about it, the underlying question is often: If I do X with Mr. Y, will I be banished from God's love? So in the heat of the moment it can feel like we’re edging up on this line between us and the land of no return. It's precarious, and not all that helpful.

This perspective has been a disaster for me—avoiding guilt has never been high on my list of motivators (see He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, available at a bookstore near you…)

I think we need an alternative.

Here’s my pitch: What if following God’s suggestions in this area of life isn't just about our relationship with God, but rather our relationship with our future (or current, if we’re married) husband? And what if these suggestions have A LOT more nuance to them than the set of rules they’re often boiled down to?

That's what we’ll be talking about tonight. If you’re near Cambridge, come by and join us: Greater Boston Vineyard, Ministry Center Library (2^nd floor) 7:30-8:30pm.

(And if you can't make it tonight, we’ll have this and the other talks in the relationships & spirituality series online soon.)