How far is too far?

Have you been in a relationship where you had to say to yourself, "I'm only going to go THIS far." ?
Have you set up boundaries of how far you will go physically?
I always did. I set up these road blocks in the beginning of my relationships with my boyfriends. I'd say, " Okay, my youth pastor just told us that having sex is BAD so I certainly can't do THAT. So I'll just kiss him..." or "I'll just let him do THIS to me" etc....

you get the picture right?

First of all, let me explain one very important thing...SEX is not bad. Actually just the opposite, it is rather AMAZING and it is ALL good. God created it. So it is good. But it is intended for marriage. Listen to this, " ...for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his WIFE, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2: 24

One flesh. That sounds pretty amazing doesn't it? One flesh tells me that it is very intimate, very personal, very spiritul. For only ONE person. They(Adam and Eve) were united.

Sex is relational. And that is God. He is relational. That is why He created us.

So, back to those road blocks we put up...if sex is so good and only supposed to be for marriage then why do we even bother with setting up boundaries? Why don't we just say, "Nope sorry, I can't go there AT ALL, I'm saving my intimate ONEness for my future spouse. Because I want it to be that good."
Can you imagine?
Man, I wish I was that smart...
Think about it...how do you determine how FAR is TOO far anyway?

Listen to this..."He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe." Proverbs 28:26

I just read some wise words from a study that I was doing earlier this morning..
1. The further you go, the faster you go.
2.The further you go, the further you WANT to go.
3. The further you go, the harder it is to go back. (God did not design you to go back. He designed us to move forward sexually. Consequently, it is almost impossible to permanently retreat to safety once certain lines have been crossed)

Where you draw the line determines...

1)the arena of your temptation-if you draw the line at kissing then you have determined what you will be tempted to do next. When you set standards you also determine your temptation.

2)the intensity of the temptation-temptation increases with increased passion and passion increases as a couple moves closer and closer to intercourse.

3)the consequence of giving in to the temptation-if a couple decides to draw the line at holding hands then one night they kiss-what are the consequences? A touch of guilt-maybe strep throat...:) But if a couple has drawn the line at the edge of intercouse...you get the picture.

So, you in a sense are determining your own destiny by choosing where you draw the line.

Take it a step further now...How far would I want my future spouse to go with the person they date before meeting me?

Yikes.

That is a lot of emotional loss if this whole sex thing is so relational...and it really is.

Guard your heart people. Guard it. In Proverbs 4:23 it says, " Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

Sex can be unbelievably fulfilling(and fun). Or sex can leave a person feeling used and empty.

Which do you suppose God intended?

I know that God intended it for good...to be fulfilling...that is why He created it...for marriage. Having sex outside of that union will leave you feeling empty and used. I know this full well. I've been there.

God has created you with the potential to experience great sex. (high five to God)

So, what now? What do you do next if you've already gone too far?

Take some time to map out your moral boundaries...plan on guarding your heart from here on out. For it is the WELLSPRING of LIFE! Then think. Think. Think. Ask yourself the question, " would I want my future spouse to do this...?"

It saves a lot of heartache if you just wait. Wait for the one God has planned for you in marriage. It will be worth every moment of waiting....

Does purity REALLY matter?

Why wait? Why remain pure? Does it really matter?

What are your thoughts...?