Sex and a good cup of coffee

I think this is the first time I have ever heard a Pastor ever speak about sex in church. As we go through Song of Solomon, we can see how God has placed sex as a vital important part of life in the context of marriage. To some it's gross, to other's it's a god, but from God it's a gift...the only gift that truly separates marriage from any other relationship we have. To be cherished and nurtured.

I learned so much about coffee when I spent time at a coffee mill in the rain forest of Nicaragua, and the parallels with sex with a good cup of coffee is striking.

First you have to pick the cherries and be gentle not to bruise or injure them.
Next, they spend time marinating and fermenting with each other.
Then at some point the exterior comes off revealing the bean inside.
They need exposure to the Son.
The roasting process takes ten to fifteen minutes to get those beans hot and ready.
Then, some bumping and grinding of the beans takes place.
And finally, it's time to enjoy and savor the cup.
Every once in a while you may not have the time for the whole process, there's always instant coffee.

Having an agenda or settling for instant coffee tends to cheapen the gift. That's where Song of Solomon expounds on the romance and flame as an example to follow; to help keep marriages alive and passionate. Starting from chapter one you have pheromones flying, passion in a park, and woopy in the wilderness...That's some passion from Song of Songs 1.

12 The king is lying on his couch,
enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume.
13 My lover is like a sachet of myrrh
lying between my breasts.
14 He is like a bouquet of sweet henna blossoms
from the vineyards of En-gedi.
15 How beautiful you are, my darling,
how beautiful!
Your eyes are like doves.
16 You are so handsome, my love,
pleasing beyond words!
The soft grass is our bed;
17 fragrant cedar branches are the beams of our house,
and pleasant smelling firs are the rafters.