The TALK is probably remembered as one of the most awkward discussions ever had with your parents. At fourteen or fifteen, the terminology used was seen as strange and the conversation was uncomfortable. In summary, sex was conveyed as dirty and dangerous so it was important to save it until marriage.
Today, statistics show that teenagers want to talk with their parents about sex but dads and moms are either too busy, do not want to “go there” or are struggling with clarity on the subject themselves. The TALK must be an ongoing dialogue started early and often using books like, “Good Pictures, Bad Pictures” to start the discussion. Clarity on sexuality and healthy relationships has taken a hit due in large part to the deterioration of the family - 40% of kids wake up in homes without dad present and 50% of kids will live with just one parent at some point before the age of 18. Dads and moms can often fail to provide the daily training of what healthy relationship looks like in the home.
“God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Then God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me; … I am about to destroy them with the earth. Make for yourself an ark of cypress wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.… the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. … I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark – you and your sons and your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” – Gen. 6:12-18. Verse 9 says, “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.” Through this righteous man and his family, God established the foundation for future generations. It is the responsibility of faithful fathers in family to keep the foundation Rock solid.
Family analogies with the ark in scripture:
Significant structure to survive the flood waters – 450’ long, 75’ wide and 45’ high!
Marriage and family is God’s structure that will stay strong through storms in the world;
Pitch on the outside – to protect the hull against the constant beating of the waves.
Discipline in Christian faith to keep worldly influences in check;
Pitch on the inside – reinforcement to ensure integrity of the hull.
Integrity of family, grounded in faith, reinforcing discipline;
With rooms – provision for the next generation.
Physical, emotional and spiritual provision to launch the next generation of Christians;
The Internet has become the popular go-to resource for questions about sexuality and that introduces a lot of confusion. The average first age of exposure to pornography is now between 9 & 10. From there, one ‘click’ will take a kid from soft porn to hard porn; one more ‘click’ introduces same-sex porn; and on and on. Confusion manifests quickly into misunderstanding of sexuality and healthy relationship. Marriage and family is built to provide clarity in the midst of confusion through God’s design for sexuality and healthy relationship.
Prayer guide: Lord, thank You for the blessing that is family. Help me understand and step up to the physical, social and spiritual responsibilities as the husband and father You call me to be. I know that in Your strength I can build a family that will stand firm against the storms of life, a legacy to continue for generations. I pray my family may be an ark that holds strong against the beating of the waves of worldly influence. Amen.
A faithful father builds an ark in family to protect against the waves of worldly influence.
