Back to the Beginning
“Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24 NKJV
Next month, my husband and I will celebrate 24 years of marriage. Praise the Lord we have made it this far! Have you ever heard the saying, “If only these walls could talk”? Well, if the last 24 years could talk, they would tell you stories of many ups and downs. They would reveal laughter and sadness. Indescribable joy and gut-wrenching heartbreak. I can honestly say that my marriage hasn’t been held together by anything I have done within myself. I’ve made many mistakes along the way. The only way we are still standing today is because of God’s miraculous, amazing grace. And lots, and lots of prayers!
One of the topics we will discuss on the pages of this blog will be the topic of marriage. We have many things in store over the coming weeks that you won’t want to miss! So don’t go anywhere. 😊
But first, let’s get some foundational truths laid down. You won’t go very far before you hear someone’s opinion about marriage and oftentimes, their opinion may be different from your opinion. So, let’s look to God’s word for the foundational truth to build from.
It all got started right here in the first book of the Bible (Genesis). God revealed His plan for marriage and introduced it in Genesis 2:24. Marriage was designed to be perfect in its establishment: one man and one woman in a commitment for a lifetime. From the beginning, God never intended for man to be alone. (Genesis 2:18) By taking one of Adam’s bones, God crafted woman. (Genesis 2:23) God presented the woman to Adam to complete him. After creating woman, God crowned His creation by saying all that He created was very good. (Genesis 1:31) God created man and woman in His image (Genesis 1:26) with physical and emotional needs that no one could meet except Himself.
The marriage covenant has three parts:
1. To leave father and mother which symbolizes a wedding ceremony or a time of public commitment. It also symbolizes a separation and a new beginning.
2. To be joined together which speaks of faithful commitment in a permanent relationship of affection and a growing relationship of love
3. To become one flesh which references a physical union of the deepest and most exclusive intimacy. The husband and wife share a unified purpose while still retaining their unique qualities as individuals.
The words “leave” and “be joined to” are verbs translated and used in scripture to describe a covenant relationship. Not only are we to have a covenant relationship with our spouse, but we are called into a covenant relationship with a Holy God. We need to be willing to lay aside all that pertains to our old lifestyle, dissolving all old individual goals, loyalties, and plans and be joined together. It’s important for us to actively seek to build a strong, enduring bond with our spouse with unconditional love, commitment, trust, and acceptance. This is the way marriage was designed and the only way it will operate best. God repeats His plan for marriage in Matthew 19:4-6 and in Ephesians 5:31, and by repeating this truth, He wants us to know that He didn’t make a mistake when he designed marriage.
No other human relationship should supersede the commitment and bond between a husband and a wife. This includes your parents or your children. As wonderful and dear as they are, we are not to put them before our spouse. Marriage was designed to be a covenant relationship. This commitment is a covenant commitment with a vow made to God and the partner to love and remain faithful, enduring in a lifelong relationship exclusively until death. (Matthew 19:6)
However, in today’s culture, marriage is tossed around like it is no big deal. The opinions on who or what it should consist of, or if it should last based on whatever circumstances you are faced with are a dime a dozen. But the only opinion that should ever matter is God’s opinion. It was God who created and designed His blueprint for marriage. You can never go wrong when you look to God’s word as the final authority on a subject.
Friend, fight for your marriage. Do the hard work. Have the hard conversations. Don’t burn the bridges but build them stronger than ever before. Pray together. Yes, seek God intimately on your own, but also seek Him together. Forgive the hurt. It will be worth it. So incredibly worth it. I’m praying for you and cheering you on.
Heavenly Father,
Marriage is hard. Thank you for your word and how it is our guide and compass to look to when we need to know the truth. Our culture wants to define what marriage should be but help us to seek You for the truth. Give us daily wisdom and help us to lift our husband and their needs up in prayer more and more each day. God, I pray for the woman who is reading this post. Whether she has been married for years and her marriage is holding on by a thread, or she is trying to navigate her way as a newly married woman, or she is divorced as she watched her happily-ever-after disappearing right before her eyes. She might be a grieving widow who misses her love with every ounce of her being, or she could be the single woman who wonders if she will ever find someone. God, whoever she is, I lift her up to you and ask that you would supply her every need. I pray that she would feel your love and your presence. Whatever situation she is in, I pray that you will help her in navigating through this subject called marriage and life in general. Heavenly Father, help us to always look to you for the standard and foundation of anything we encounter in life. Thank you for your grace, love, and mercy. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.