Genesis Day 7: A husband, a wife, a Bible
Most guidance for a blog is that you say whatever you are writing in 500 words or less.
So, in 500 words or less, describe how connected you are to your spouse.
For Adam, it was easy – “She is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!”
If this were an onstage competition, I imagine Adam “dropping the mic” and walking away.
As I write about marriage, let me say I am aware that this can be a painful post for people who are single. Sometimes we elevate marriage so much, that a single person feels left out of God’s plan — you are not, and here is a pretty good blog post about singleness. However, my task today, is to offer some thoughts about this text of Genesis. So, I am back to that focus.
Speaking of that focus, I normally go through my life, running around for all manner of things. Maybe you do as well. Then it will happen. Maybe my wife is sick, or facing a challenge. Her pain is like lightening striking me. Her situation affects me, deeply.
Why?
I hear people try and argue this dynamic away. What dynamic is that? Quite simply, that when she hurts—I hurt. Spouses are more than partners. They are connected. In good and bad…in sickness and health…bone to bone.
What I am trying to say here is that in the Bible, marriage is more than a human partnership.
When we stand before God, and with our own mouths pledge, vow, to “love, honor, and obey…until death do us part”…when we say these words…we are saying, “God make her, make him, bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh—I want to be that deeply connected.” And God answers that prayer.
Don’t believe me? Go talk to someone who, through divorce, has experienced the separation of this bone-to-bone and flesh-to-flesh connection.
Which makes me ask, “Why would any of us take the risk? Just look at the divorce rate!”
Answer—to flourish.
Genesis 1 and 2 shows us one of God’s designs for the best possible life: Know Him, love Him, love His creation—I could insert the word “relate” into any of those.
We are relational beings. We flourish when our relationship with God is right. When our relationship with His creation is right. When our relationship with other human beings is right.
When all these relationships are “right” we are living into the image we were created, God’s image.
And God’s image is? He told us in Genesis 1…let us make humankind in our image…male and female…
God’s image is one of a deeply relational person…and the relationship of a husband and wife…communicates the depth of His (and therefore our) relational nature.
This is God’s design, His ideal. Do we ever achieve this perfect connection, the way Jesus is connected to the Father? I don’t think so. I certainly know some couples doing it way better than others. But the POTENTIAL is IMMENSE.
Think about God’s design for a moment. The upside potential of marriage between a husband and a wife is huge.
You might be thinking, “Well God’s design doesn’t seem to be working very well!” Yes, there is a problem—not with God—with us. We are getting to it, but I am suggesting that the content of Genesis 1 and 2 reveals God’s design.