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Christlike Love in Intimacy


Jesus's Christ's love for us is infinite. It incorporates forgiveness, service, patience, wisdom, loving words, tenderness, and a love that is uncritical. This is the type of love that we should have for our spouse, not only emotionally, but physically. 
Sean E. Brotherson teaches us in "Fulfilling the Sexual Stewardship in Marriage" that often the importance of the physical relationship between husband and wife, gets sidestepped. Too many before marriage, do not study out of the best books to prepare themselves for a sexual relationship in marriage. This can bring about feelings of hesitancy and even fear into the marriage relationship. There can be skewed ideals that one spouse should have more power over their physical relationship than the other, or one spouse may use their desires for sex or desires to not have sex, as a form of control.
The first commandment given to Adam and Eve in the garden was to multiply and replenish. Within the same breath was the commandment to cleave to one another to be one flesh. In his article "They Twain shall be one: Thoughts on Intimacy in Marriage”, Brent Barlow quotes Bill Graham when he said, "The commandment to the first man and woman to be one flesh was as important as his command to be fruitful and multiply." Physical relations in marriage lend equal importance then, to having children as to the unity in their own marriage.
With all the personal intricacies, it may seem that there isn't one answer for everyone in how to improve physical intimacy in a marriage. Yet the Saviors example of love teaches us how to love in every aspect of our marriage. We can forgive our spouse throughout the day instead of nitpicking their behaviors, we can think of ways to serve them, we can have patience when mistakes are made, use wisdom in making choices in showing them love in the ways they need love, we can provide loving words, be tender in our actions, and give them a love that is uncritical. This creates an atmosphere that provides openings to more physical intimacy in marriage. Physical intimacy that can communicate each other’s needs better, that can forgive the other when needs aren't met, help us to meet their love needs, and create a strengthening bond within matrimony.
Following the Saviors loving ways in sharing our love with our spouse increases emotional and physical in our marriage, solidifying the sealing bond we are ever blessed with in the temple. 

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