They Shall Become One

The small group I am a part of through my church has been going through The Truth Project DVD series put out by Focus On The Family. Last night, we discussed the social order of marriage. We learned that God did not just create the social order of marriage but in fact it has always existed because it mimics the very nature of God himself. It is an eternal structure that has always been and always will be.

We reviewed the Trinity and how the three parts of God interact with each other. God is the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit comes from both the Father and the Son. We saw how the Father was the head or the authority and how Jesus submits to the Father and does His will. They live as one in perfect unity but yet diverse.

We then compared those relationships and actions to the family. The husband is like the Father and is to love his wife. The wife is like Jesus and is to submit and respect the authority of the husband. They shall leave their mothers and fathers and cleave to each other and become one. We are to live in perfect unity in our family as a reflection of the Trinity and God's very nature as a witness to the rest of the world. When we break that bond it is as if we are crushing God himself.

Wow! Marriage was never explained to me like that before. I wondered where this information was 25 years ago because it would have been helpful prior to marriage. However, then I caught myself, and I knew even if it would have been available, I probably wouldn't have listened. I was too caught up in the world to have cared much about what God thought.

Nevertheless, I caught a glimpse of how God must have grieved over the destruction and break of my first marriage, and shame hit me again. To be in the place I am today, as a child of God who seeks to please Him, and then have to face Him again on this subject was hard. As I sat there quietly withdrawing inward, God spoke to me through the words of my friend sitting next to me. She said, "God is a gracious God who forgives BIG and we can learn from our mistakes and move on." That's grace!

In those moments, Satan probably would have loved to rewind that video in my head that tells me I am unworthy, I am not acceptable, my sins are too big! However, God intervened, and through my friend I was reminded of how God has forgiven me. I am receptive to His work within me now. I am trying to seek God's will and live within the roles He has designed for our family in the blessing of my second marriage. I am forgiven and I can move on because grace has allowed me another chance.

I am grateful today for second chances, for grace that prevents us from being completely crushed by our sins forever and allows us to try again, and for friends that can help restore and build up our relationship with God through words of encouragement rather than judgment!