A Prayer about Sex
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter. (1 Thess. 4:3–6)
Jesus, a part of me is blushing and squirming as I pray through this text. The word sex engenders the widest range of thoughts and emotions. There is no part of our being that carries a greater capacity to reveal beauty and evil.
Grant us grace and wisdom to steward the precious gift of sex. In our marriages, may your servant love be revealed in the way we honor and care for one another. In the ebb and flow of sexual desire, give us kindness to be for the other.
In our singleness, give grace shaped for each situation. When good desire gets hijacked by sinful choices, forgive us and strengthen us. In our struggles, grant us a loving and holy commitment not to exploit anyone else’s heart or body to satisfy ourselves.
For those of us engaged in sinful indulgence—pornography, prostitution, infidelity, and other expressions of broken sexuality— have mercy on us. Give us convicted hearts, repentant faith, and a willingness to get help. For those of us married to someone sinfully entrapped or addicted to sex, grant exponential grace, wisdom, safety, and more grace. May the pain of betrayal not preclude the desire and hope of redemption.
For those of us wounded and broken by stories of sexual abuse or sexual misuse, bring your healing heart and hand to bear, Jesus. Take us on the path to safety, beauty, and restoration. For those of us married to a husband or wife wounded and broken through sexual sin, grant us kindness, mercy, patience and hope.
Lord Jesus, in all of these situations and stories, convince us that what we need more than anything else is to connect with you intimately. Even the best marriage and most fulfilling sex life is no substitute for the wonders of marriage to you. You are the spouse we always wanted and needed. That is not hype, Jesus; it is our hope. We humbly pray in your great and tender name.
Amen.