Mark 10: 8-9 “and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
My husband and I recently celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary. I often say, “God tricked me.” Because our communication flowed so easily, I thought the Lord had brought someone just like me to marry. Could not have been more mistaken.
I’m a hopeless romantic, my husband leans toward practicality. I tend to live more in the now; he begins planning our next vacation the day after we get home from the last one. While I cry over sappy movies (and even commercials), he prefers to watch golf tournaments. Growing up in a broken home left me with scars of insecurity. His rock-solid parents provided him with a foundation of clarity and confidence. Our distinct personalities could cause division between us……
But a funny thing happened on our way to forty-nine years. The “oneness” Jesus declared in marriage has become a reality. We even got each other the exact same anniversary card this year! But true to our differences, his bore the official gold seal from the Hallmark store. I got mine at BJ’s with a 40% discount.
When God instituted marriage, he created a unique bond. No other relationship bears the distinction of being “bone of bone and flesh of flesh” (Genesis 2:23). Marriage gives individuals a safe place to appreciate differences and fight against all our destructive self-centeredness. It teaches us how to give and forgive, how to receive and expand our perspectives. God wants husbands and wives to realize their differences are intended to complement one another. We may have felt complete when we were single, but once we enter into marriage, each of the ones are necessary to make the whole.
So I’m glad God tricked me. How he brought together two very different, flawed people, and performed the miracle of making us one.
If you are married or considering it, don’t listen to voices telling you marriage is passé. It was God’s intention from the beginning, and nothing has altered its power and effectiveness. Marriage requires ongoing work, but it’s worth it. This beautiful equation of one plus one equals one is worth discovering. And it brings great glory to its architect.