Ephesians 5:31-33
31“FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND SHALL BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. 32This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife mustsee to it that she respects her husband.”
Becoming one flesh is a mystery, not that it is unknowable, but that it was a new revelation. New in that it was like Christ and the church. We are to be that close to Christ. In this comes the analogy of the body. Christ is the head; He directs and the body is to comply. As we grow in Him, we do better at this. At the start there is all sorts of doubt and questioning. As we follow we see the wisdom in His ways. Just like a marching band is made up of many, but can seem to function as one, so is christ and the church.
There is an internal bond. Romans 8:15-16 says, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.” Just as mother and baby bond, this speaks of our bonding with the Spirit.
This close bonding is to be in the marriage, also. We are to function as one. As we grow in Christ, His direction comes from within, much like it came from us. We are to be so intertwined with our spouses that we know what’s going on with them before they tell us. We know what embarrasses them, what hurts them and what brings them joy. We get this because it may be us who hurt them once. We went through the misunderstanding and the possible argument about it. Yet, as we grow we become sensitive to those areas. We can now bring healing to those when we used to provoke pain.
Sex in the marriage is wonderful. Often times we can get on each other’s nerves. Sex seems to reset all of that. It wears off the rough edges. We may have been grumpy and irritable, but sex is like a miracle potion. The bible says we need to be having sex in marriage often (1 Corinthians 7:5). If not, that may explain some of the absence of joy. This isn’t an excuse to force or be abusive. It needs to be done in agreement by both parties. If there is no agreement, it may be time for counseling.
God said in Genesis 2:18 that Eve was a suitable help mate (team mate). It is wonderful to go through life with an ally. Someone who is cheering us on. Just like coaches have to work at making a team one, so the marriage goes through similar struggles.
Lord, help us to have that close relationship with You and with our spouses. Help us to be loving, sensitive and responsive.
This close bonding is to be in the marriage, also. We are to function as one. As we grow in Christ, His direction comes from within, much like it came from us. We are to be so intertwined with our spouses that we know what’s going on with them before they tell us. We know what embarrasses them, what hurts them and what brings them joy. We get this because it may be us who hurt them once. We went through the misunderstanding and the possible argument about it. Yet, as we grow we become sensitive to those areas. We can now bring healing to those when we used to provoke pain.
Sex in the marriage is wonderful. Often times we can get on each other’s nerves. Sex seems to reset all of that. It wears off the rough edges. We may have been grumpy and irritable, but sex is like a miracle potion. The bible says we need to be having sex in marriage often (1 Corinthians 7:5). If not, that may explain some of the absence of joy. This isn’t an excuse to force or be abusive. It needs to be done in agreement by both parties. If there is no agreement, it may be time for counseling.
God said in Genesis 2:18 that Eve was a suitable help mate (team mate). It is wonderful to go through life with an ally. Someone who is cheering us on. Just like coaches have to work at making a team one, so the marriage goes through similar struggles.
Lord, help us to have that close relationship with You and with our spouses. Help us to be loving, sensitive and responsive.