Some interesting thoughts here. I actually think - due to poison in the food, pollution, vaccines, etc. - that at some point in the future there may not BE children any longer. Old people may die sooner as well. These things could well be mercies of God as history draws to a close and becomes more and more like hell on Earth.
I agree 100% that it's important to find your significant other attractive. To a great degree, love grows with time spent together with someone you care about, but some initial physical attraction is needed. Regular sex is (biblically) a part of marriage. Hard to do that if you find your significant other to be REPELLENT!
You pointed out some good stuff about male viabilitiy, too, David. For better or for worse, we men remain sexually viable into our 70's. As such, I've considered dating someone a good bit younger than me. I'm 34 and would consider dating someone even in her early 20's if she is a mature believer. Long term, this would facilitate things... since I know I have strong... proclivities... lol. Sounds like you do too.
Hey, best to understand yourself and plan accordingly.
Well, I would plan your marriage not around age and by the level of desire that you currently possess. You never know what might happen to you in your future life. You may incur prostate cancer that could leave you semi-impotent. What then? Now you’ve got a much younger wife that is viewing her “elder” husband as “less-than-capable” and sir . . . that is opening the door for problems. And while I realize that you state that you’d want a mature believer as your wife, king David was certainly mature, yet he found himself not only committing adultery but creating a scenario where Urijah the Hittite was killed (so that he, David, could possess Bathsheba). Further still, we’re all different. And you never know, your wife may find the intimate experience to be well worth her while even into her seventies.
Another tip for you. If you’re 60 years old and your wife is still a raging and beautiful 45 years old, how are you going to feel as you compare yourself to her? Will you have all of your teeth? Will you be wrinkly beyond belief? Will you feel worthy of a gorgeous wife while you are . . . well, not so handsome? Will these ideas cloud your mind as you [try] to fulfill your conjugal duties? How will you perform if you come to find out that your young wife is not really attracted to you as she once was? The larger the gap in age, the most apparent it will become as the elder seriously moves into being a Senior Citizen.
If I were you, try to stick within five years of your future spouse.
As for me . . . no. I don’t think or even “function” as I did prior to my genuine Roman’s 12:2 Transformation. Truly, I have been purchased by Christ and He has slowly changed not only the way I view the functions of this physical world, but He has changed the function of my body. I’m not trying to brag, here, but I was a gifted lover. Because of that, I was absolutely addicted to pleasing my partner, for by generating such satisfaction in my partner, I too was incredibly satisfied. When the Lord took ownership of my life, He not only caused me to seek to please Him by remaining single, but He caused me to view the sexual experience as something . . . well, silly. I can’t help it. This is a Work of the Spirit. To me, intimacy has become something that seems like a waste of time when compared to the fact that others are starving. Right now, a little boy is being raped. Right now, a little girl is being punched in the face, and these are areas that interest me far more than seeking pleasure. I don’t mean to be a “downer,” here, but am just conveying the Truth about your question and my answer.
A Roman’s 12:2 Transformation causes us to no longer seek ourselves, but it generates remarkable empathy to the degree that we feel what others feel beyond standard comprehension. Therefore, True Children of the Lord will seek the welfare of others before him or herself. We cannot help it. In fact, we might even be sad that our intimate side has become diminished. Yet, we cannot avoid the Work of the Spirit and are thus thankful!
I could write a book, and for the sake of sheer boredom, I’ll stop here. haha