Love and marriage

“A man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. –Genesis 2:24

This verse is God’s original blueprint for how marriage is supposed to work.  It involves a tearing away and a knitting together.  It reconfigures existing relationships while establishing a brand new one.  Marriage changes everything.  ‘Leaving’ means that you are breaking a natural tie.  Your parents step into the role of counselors to be respected, but can no longer tell you what to do.  The purpose of ‘leaving,’ of course, is not to abandon all contact with the past but rather to preserve the unique oneness that marriage is designed to capture.  Without ‘leaving’ you cannot do the ‘cleaving’ you need, the joining of your hearts that’s required to experience oneness.  ‘Cleaving’ carries the idea of catching someone by pursuit, clinging to them as your new rock of refuge and safety.  As a result of this essential process, you are now free to become everything God meant when He declared you ‘one flesh.’  Leave.  And cleave.  And dare to walk as one.”

Today’s Dare:  Is there a “leaving” issue you haven’t been brave enough to conquer yet?  Confess it to your spouse today, and resolve to make it right.  The oneness of your marriage is dependent upon it.  Follow this with a commitment to your spouse and to God to make your marriage the top priority over every other human relationship.

Steve and I have resolved the “leaving” issues in our marriage.  (However, there are certain family members who have still not come to terms with the fact that we both “left” and “cleft.”)  But as for Steve and me, we have become one.  We have made our marriage the most important of relationships.  We love each other.  We depend on each other.  We support each other.  We are one.