Scripture: Song of Solomon 7:1-3
How graceful are your feet in sandals, O queenly maiden! Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a master hand. Your navel is a rounded bowl that never lacks mixed wine. Your belly is a heap of wheat, encircled with lilies. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle.
Thought for the Day: This is not your traditional pickup line at the bar. In fact, I doubt anyone could get past the first line without having a drink thrown in his/her face. Throughout history, Christians have danced around the Song of Solomon. It is a racy and erotic book – two words we rarely use with scripture. The fact is, the rest of scripture has many such suggestions, but they are hidden in euphemisms and metaphor. The book of Ruth has a few that most people have never noticed. Yesterday, I dropped off my son (along with four other youth from Cypress Creek Christian Church) for Eighters Camp. It is also known as Church Sex Camp. It is a curriculum that has been used throughout our denomination and other denominations for something like 20+ years, and it’s purpose is to speak faithfully and in a healthy way about our sexuality as human beings. This is important at any time in history, but I celebrate it as we continue our work around human trafficking and exploitation. As much as we want to help the victims, we must also deal honestly and forthrightly with Johns. Too many men (mostly men) who buy and abuse other human beings have a horrible understanding of their own sexuality. They have confused sex with power, abuse and violence. They remove the humanity of the other from the equation. As a society, we have a lot of work to do when it comes to a healthy and respectful sexuality, and as strange as it might sound, church camp is a great place to begin.
Prayer: For all the many gifts you have given me, O Lord, I am thankful. May I honor and respect, among those gifts, my human sexuality. Amen.
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