Song of Songs

Reading Song of Songs (or, Song of Solomon) with folks from Saint Matthew this past week, it struck me how repeatedly the Bible conveys the beauty of sexual intimacy in a marriage between a man and a woman. 

Such oneness in the flesh is seen in the Bible as a gift from God to  husbands and wives. Even Jesus sees marriage between husband and wife as the only, appropriate, and beautiful place for the gift of sexual intimacy to happen. 

Yet some church bodies, including my own, seem to think that they know better than God about when and with whom people should have sexual intimacy. It's sad and ridiculous.

Of course, such presumption on the part of believers who should know better is nothing new. Solomon, traditionally thought to be the author of Song of Songs, himself violated God's will for human sexuality which God had revealed to him. This only goes to show how important is for people of faith to not be harshly judgmental, but constantly pursuing a life style of "daily repentance and renewal," turning each day to God for the help to live faithfully.