Good morning,

Matthew 19: 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

There is no relationship that God honors like the relationship between a husband and a wife. He instituted it (invented marriage), addressing it right from the book of Genesis, the book of beginnings. It’s God who saw that it was not good for man to be alone therefore He made him a helpmate. The marital relationship was established as the first human institution. God’s ideal plan for marriage is one man and woman for one lifetime. And of all the love, God made a special love expressed between husband and wife consummated in the physical. This implies their sexual completeness. One man and one woman constitute the pair to reproduce. The “one flesh” is primarily seen in the child born of that union, the one perfect result of the union of two.

Look at how God created both man and woman then joined them to become one flesh. After forming man out of the clay, God did not reach the ground again to pick clay to make the woman; he took one of Adam’s ribs and formed a woman, Eve. God performed a Divine surgery, isn’t that amazing?. Genesis 2:22, “Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” Imagine the Lord made her and as a loving Father presented his daughter to Adam to care for her as his wife. She was called woman because she was taken out of a man. Even though our world today tries to redefine marriage, we understand God established marriage between a man and a woman and blessed it. Upon completing creating her, He brought her to Adam. Right there and then Adam recognized her as the bone of his bones and the flesh of his flesh. Special relationship, made, blessed and sealed by God.

Marriage is so unique that in marriage that 1 plus 1 does not equal two but 1 and that unity God honors and treasures, Matthew 19: 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Not even those in that marriage covenant saved or unsaved have the right or ability to alter it or break it. God honors it. The relationship between children and parents cannot be compared to the relationship between a husband and wife. Look at God dealing with Job, He allowed Satan to take everything away from Job including his children but did not let Satan touch his wife. God would not let Satan separate them. Is this not telling us something about marriage? Another example, God came in a dream to King Abimelech and was going to kill him because he eyed Abraham’s wife. Until we see how God honors marriage first, we will never understand His full purpose of allowing marriages to take place. We may think we are the ones who decided to get married; well God planned it, put that desire and directed you to the person He designed for you. I believe the primary reason for God to allow marriage is to make us HOLY, to conform us to the image of Christ in that covenant.

I love listening to preacher Paul Washer, this is what he says when he is asked what he does, “I’m a husband”, when asked what else he says, “oh, I’m also a father, and if I have anytime left, I preach a little.” Hence, putting God first, his wife second. His philosophy last. “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world (including ministry) and loose his wife?” Proverbs 18:22, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD. What is your thought on marriage? I pray that as we share in the next few days, the Lord will transform our view and approach towards marriage. Blessings Evans, Evipooh@gmail.com