Intimacy

INTIMACY IN MARRIAGE

“I doubt that there is any human relationship better than marriage to teach us the need for Christlike love—that unqualified and unconditional love that persuades us to think more of another than we think of ourselves.” This quote which comes from an article titled They Twain Shall Be One: Thoughts on Intimacy in Marriage which was written by Brent A. Barlow is a great summary of what we learned about this week. This week our focus was on intimacy in marriage which is such an interesting subject. It's interesting because people don't usually like to talk about it but it's a normal part of life. Most people want to get married and have a family and that's only possible through intimacy.

At the same time, intimacy doesn’t always have to be sexual. In the dictionary, intimacy is stated as meaning “close familiarity or friendship; closeness”. This means that intimacy can be demonstrated in a variety of ways such as a hug, a kiss, holding hands, sitting close to someone, or even just having a conversation. Just like in the quote shared at the beginning, this is all about thinking of someone else before you think of yourself. In this case, we are talking about intimacy in marriage which helps you to get to know your spouse better. The more time you spend with them the more familiar you become with who they are as a person.

Intimacy in marriage is generally thought of as sexual intimacy. This type is important in a marriage because it brings two people together as husband and wife. Sexual intimacy has been ordained of God if it is performed in the right way, at the right time, and by people who are married and committed to each other. In the end it is said by Wallace Goddard that “Those who resist the lure and guile of Satan, those who honor covenants, those who tend the little garden of their own covenants, will enjoy sweetness in this life and rewards unmeasured in the world to come.” We need to make sure we always stay true to the covenants we make with our spouse in the holy temple.