“And large crowds followed him (Jesus), and he healed them there. And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said,
‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, 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.” Matthew 19:2-9
“One flesh”
“Hold fast”
“Joined”
This is a special relationship.
It is to be the closest of all human relationships.
Closer than a parent to their child.
Closer than siblings.
Closer than the best of friends.
God joined the husband and wife together. Before He did so, he considered how important the relationship was to be, and that no one should separate them. This is noteworthy, especially as we consider how people today discard their spouse like yesterday’s newspaper.
I must confess that when I took my vows with Lisa, I didn’t understand or appreciate what God was doing with us – making us one. I understood that I was committing myself to her for life, but God had yet to teach me about the significance of the marital relationship.
This past Thursday, Lisa and I celebrated our anniversary. We have been married for thirty-two years. Outside of my relationship with God, she is the most important person in the world to me. As a matter of fact, I can say with great confidence that she is the most important of all relationships I have had, or ever will have. I loved my parents. I love my son Timothy. I love others. Yet none of them come close to Lisa. I will always cherish her. I will do all that I can to love and protect her. I will never separate myself from her, for this would be an offense to God, and like ripping my own heart out of my body. To do so would cause incalculable pain to us, and to many who know us. That’s what happens when you tear flesh.
Words can only communicate so much. God has placed in me a recognition of who Lisa is to me. He has loudly declared, “She is special!” He has written on my heart that she is joined to me and that I am to hold fast to her. I plan to do so, with all my might. I love her deeply.
My wife Lisa is also the editor of this blog. I know she will read this. I want her to. She can never hear it enough that she and I are one flesh, joined together by God, and that she can rest in God, and in my love for her.
For Jesus,
Rob