Sex and Spirituality

Elkanah knew his wife and the LORD remembered her--1 Samuel 1;19

As I was reading this passage in preparation for a sermon I will be preaching on 1 Samuel 16 and was struc, with the help of the commentator Eugene Peterson, that "Sexuality ans Spirituality are intricately intertwined." He goes on to say: "Either seperated from the other soon goes bad, but together, as here, they enact heaven on earth and generate life." I wander what the implications of this statement are. How do you see this truth worked out in the real world--especially the last half of the statement about enacting heaven on earth and generating life. I'd love your comments.