Last Updated on May 20, 2016 by Stacy Averette
What did God intend when he said in Genesis 2:24, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh”? Was He simply referring to the marriage ceremony when a man and woman are pronounced husband and wife? Let’s take a closer look.
For this reason
For what reason?
This opening phrase in verse 24 directs us to the previous verses:
The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man 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.”
The creation of Adam’s helper was by Divine appointment. She was not formed separately of the dust of the earth, but directly from the substance of Adam; so she was one with her husband, nearer than all other human relations.
Leave father and mother and be joined
The Hebrew word for be joined literally means to be glued together. The word expresses the closest possible union, stronger and higher than that towards parents.
The two shall be one
In marriage there is a moral and physical union, so that two persons become virtually one being. Originally, man contained woman in himself before she was separated from him; she was a physical unity with man; in marriage this unity is acknowledged and continued.
So marriage is a re-uniting of the man and woman–two becoming one again–in the closest possible union.
Marriage is a relationship ordained by God and should be set apart from any other relationships a man and woman will have.
After “I do”
The two become one in God’s eyes but how does this play out in every day life? We’ve had 28 years to learn and work at becoming one.
Watch the video below to hear us share one of the ways we choose to be one in marriage.
God’s Marriage Math
When we say our marriage vows before God, He makes one plus one equal one. To take what God has made one and try and live as two, falls far short of what God intended.
God’s desire for marriage is two people who choose to live as one whole person where:
- two bodies join physically as one
- two sets of interrelated interests functioning as one (Remember the I-love-you-more-than-coffee-video?)
- a mutual exchange of affections
Here are a few other ways we function as one:
- Shared bank account–we don’t have your money and my money. Never have. Never will.
- Shared access to social media sites, computers, iPhones, etc. Nothing is off-limits or private between us.
- Shared bed time (and usually shared wake-up time). This may seem like a small matter but we believe it is important and keeps us in sync. Obviously, there are exceptions to this depending on the season of life you’re in, changing work schedules, and, perhaps, illness.
- Shared hopes, dreams, and goals. While we do have individual goals and dreams, they must point to, build up, and align with the goals and dreams we have as a couple.
These are just a few of the ways we foster oneness in our marriage. I’d love to hear what you do in your marriage to create oneness. Please leave a comment and share!
Click here to find previous Marriage Monday posts.
Click here to find the Google Calendar App we mentioned in the video.