Marriage God's way

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

The movie The Princess Bride has a wedding scene in which the marrying minister says, “Marriage . . . is what brings us together today.”

While his delivery of that line was meant to be humorous, he spoke a great truth. Marriage is indeed a great unifier. It is a solemn, respectable institution created by God Himself, and it joins together a man and a woman in amazing openness.

Sometimes, it is good to remind ourselves of the grand plan for marriage spelled out in Scripture.

Marriage creates one new family out of two: Adam said, “ ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh . . . ’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife” (Gen. 2:23-24).

It provides a pure outlet for a divinely designed desire: “Because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband” (I Cor. 7:2).

It forms a mutually helpful team: “The heart of her husband safely trusts her . . . She does him good and not evil all the days of her life” (Prov. 31:11-12).

Marriage God’s way brings a man and a woman together to honor Him and help society. Celebrate marriage for the ways it brings us together in God’s name.

— Dave Branon

If men and women yield to God

And of His love partake,

The marriage bond that joins two hearts

No power on earth can break.

                                         — D. De Haan

READ: Genesis 2:18-25

God created husband and wife to complement each other.

The Bible in one year:

• Joshua 4-6

• Luke 1:1-20