Pursuing Oneness
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife and they shall become as one flesh.” Genesis 2:24 ESV
This fall, I had the honour of officiating my goddaughter's wedding. It was an outdoor ceremony in North Georgia. All week, we had an eye on the weather as there was a slight chance of rain. Fortunately, on the day of the wedding, the weather was a pleasant 75 degrees. It was an open and intimate setting with around fifty guests consisting of close friends and family.
The groom, a witty and creative young man known for his dry humour and musical talent, stood anxiously facing me as he awaited the arrival of his bride. As the wedding procession began, he looked eagerly at me and asked, “is it time?” “Yes,” I replied. “How does she look?” “Beautiful”, I responded. He then turned, paused, his gaze upon her, and smiled. She was indeed beautiful. They were beautiful together, and the day, their day, was near perfect. There are few occasions in this life as uplifting as a wedding, and there are few institutions as remarkable as marriage when two lives are intertwined and become one.
Our society today would have you believe that marriage is a sort of social experiment. Newlyweds, like swimmers standing together at the water's edge, slowly wade into the shallow surf, dipping their feet in the cool waters of commitment, sensing the turning and pulling of the changing current against their legs, scanning the surf ahead to determine whether they have the will and the strength and stamina to tackle the crashing waves that threaten to pull them apart. Ahead just beyond the surf, adventure and discovery await. Always lurking below is the mystery and unknown of what lies just under the water's surface. If they find the changing tides, the adventure, and the mystery too tough, too overwhelming, behind them, there is always the safety and security of the shore.
Well, marriage is certainly no experiment, nor is it simply a social institution with moral obligations. When God gave us marriage, He gave us a model for understanding his unique relationship with His people. It is an enduring, covenantal relationship characterized by faithfulness, humility, sanctification, and sacrifice. “25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,’. Ephesians 5:25. The cross is the embodiment of these qualities and provides us with a roadmap for achieving healthy relationships and marriages built to withstand the pulling of the current and the changing tides.
This Valentines Day, I encourage you to let your relationships and marriages be characterized by faithfulness, humility, sanctification, and sacrifice. By doing so, may you achieve the oneness of purpose that we have been called to. Let that purpose be to bring glory to God so that through your relationships and marriages, others may come to a personal relationship with Him.
Amen,
