‘Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day. Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.’ Genesis 1:22-25(NLT)
‘throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.’ Ephesians 4:22-32(NLT)
Now that we have an understanding of how sin corrupts our relationships, we can look closely at the original, perfect plan for marriage that sin has broken. As we look at this, keep in mind that God has an incredible amount of grace for His people. Even when we don’t execute this perfectly, He loves us and helps give us the power we need to strive for better relationships.
As we saw yesterday, God designed marriage for unity. Literally, God formed Eve out of Adam’s body. They were intimately intertwined with each other. When Adam first meets his bride, he sings of the intimate relationship.
“This at last is bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 1:23)
Adam’s use of the word “at last” implies that he eagerly waited for someone like this. Before creating Eve, God declared that Adam being alone was not good. He created marriage as the solution.
After Jesus’ time on earth, Paul shows us how the “profound mystery” of marriage reflects Christ’s love for His people. Husbands lay their lives down for their wives and wives submit their lives to their husbands.
If we think back to the original sin, we can see that Adam and Eve did not practice this type of mutual sacrifice once they had eaten the fruit. Adam’s immediate accusation of Eve shows that he was not laying his life down. He was more so pushing her life down in front of him. Likewise, Eve ate the fruit, knowing it was forbidden, without any of Adam’s input on the matter. They separated from each other and did not live in the unity God had for them.
Ignoring God’s design for unity and intimate community within marriage will always result in fractured relationships.
The scriptures from today will help you see God’s perfect design for marriage. Pray that He gives you a desire to live out this kind of marriage.
from Pursuing Love While Considering Divorce