God’s Vision for Your Marriage

   “At last!” the man exclaimed.

   “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’”

   24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. —Genesis 2:23-24

If you’ve ever wondered, “What is God’s vision for my marriage?” The last five words of Genesis 2:24 describes it: “…they will become one flesh.” 

God’s vision and plan for marriage has always been two people – a man and a woman – coming together in a relationship where they are completely dependent on Him and completely committed to one another to grow together towards “one-ness” or “becoming one flesh.”   

God’s vision for your marriage has never been for you to just avoid divorce. It has never been for you to, “Just keep the peace! Grin and bear it for the next fifty years, as best you can.”

His vision has always been this incredible and supernatural movement towards “relational one-ness” – towards becoming “one flesh,” and growing in intimacy.

Verse 24 describes the kind of commitment that’s essential if you want this kind of relationship. In the old KJV it translates the phrase, “…a man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife.” What an incredible picture: “leave” and “cleave.” The ESV translates it, “…hold fast to his wife…” The Hebrew is an expression used for glue that binds objects together.

This is a statement of steadfast, rock solid commitment – not to just peacefully co-existing or barely making it across the “finish line.” It’s a statement about the kind of devotion and commitment in marriage that actually inspires, nourishes, encourages and energizes the people involved.

From the very beginning, God designed us to experience life in the context of committed relationships. His vision for your marriage is that it flourish, that you and your spouse grow in intimacy and “one-ness”, that you become closer and closer to God and closer and closer to one another.

That you have conversations that inspire you to become all He intended for you to become! That you creatively serve one another in love! That you love one another in such a way that you bring out the best in one another. That you lovingly challenge one another to deal with the sin, shortcomings and failures in life.

God’s design is that you love one another in such a way that your relationship becomes a living illustration of the relationship Jesus has with His church! (See Ephesians 5)

What a vision! It’s totally impossible if you’re attempting to “do marriage” in your own strength. It’s entirely possible when the Holy Spirit empowers and transforms you!

I’ll admit: this kind of relationship is never easy. It will always require work! And they’ll never come a day when you get the “marriage job done.” But it’s always worth it! Always!

Want to find out more? Join us for BETTER TOGETHER: Relationship Remix this Sunday at a2 Church.