Higher Standards, Deeper Joy
OPENING PRAYER:
Divine Creator, align our hearts with Your perfect design for intimacy and relationship. Give us strength to uphold Your standards even when culture pushes against them.
"Tell me, my love, where are you leading your flocks today? Where will you rest your sheep at noon? For why should I wander like a prostitute among your friends and their flocks?"
The woman expresses her unwillingness to compromise her standards or dignity, even in pursuit of love.
Song of Solomon 1:7 (NLT)
REFLECT:
Pastor Christian Hallberg courageously addressed the struggle many Christian couples face with physical boundaries, sharing his own engagement experience with his wife Amy. Their question - "Are we not “kind of” married in God's eyes?" - reflects a common rationalization many couples face.
However, as Christian’s message explained, God's design for physical intimacy serves as the seal of the marriage covenant, just as Christ's incarnation sealed God's promises to humanity. The Christian’s honest admission about statistics supporting God's design - showing higher divorce rates among couples who cohabitate - demonstrates how God's standards protect rather than restrict us.
Most powerfully, his message addressed those carrying shame from past choices, emphasizing that God's grace makes us "not damaged goods" and that His mercies are new every morning. This balance of upholding standards while extending grace shows how God's boundaries create space for healing and restoration.
I WILL STATEMENT:
I will be a great partner by putting Jesus first.
One way to do this could be writing down your non-negotiable standards for relationships based on Scripture. If you're in a relationship, have an honest conversation about boundaries that honor God.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Father, give us courage to maintain high standards in our relationships, trusting that Your design leads to our flourishing. Thank You for Your grace that redeems and restores.