Intertwined - And they shall become one flesh.

If you live with somebody long enough, you start to take on their mannerisms, talk like them, and even begin to look like them. This photo has not been photo-shopped and one would think it is Randy Hughes sitting in the chair. They would be wrong.

Through the wonder of a smart phone, I can use the front and back cameras on my phone at the same time and so was able to superimpose my head and face onto Tracie's body. Creepy, I know. :) She just laughed and shook her head. She is used to my silliness; so much so that she has been faithful to me for 31 years. Tracie's patience with me has been so compelling to me as her husband and lover. She completes me and vice versa.

Really, I think this picture is metaphor for what God had in mind when creation was formed. Jesus was the 'word' God used to bring all things into existence (John 1). And Jesus was not only present at creation but was able to remind the Pharisees of the structure between God, man, and woman. Jesus knew how procreation was to work and schooled the Pharisees about marriage, divorce, and God's desire for humanity. Jesus responded to a pharisaical question here: “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and

female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his

wife, and the two will become one flesh’ ? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God

has joined together, let man not separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6, NIV)

When a man and a woman come together in holy matrimony, two individuals become one flesh. It's sort of like taking a photo of Randy, Tracie, and Jesus and gluing them all together. The finished product portrays Randy on one side, Tracie on the other side, and Jesus would be pressed between our photos. The design is solid. If one tries to pull Tracie away from Randy, damage will occur to both pictures and especially to the image of Jesus in the middle.

The marriage covenant is to be between a man and a woman and their Creator. Marriage is designed to be for a lifetime. The sacred nature of bringing a woman and man together connects their souls and two people figuratively become one flesh and intertwined with each other. When one smiles the other follows suit. When one is hurting, the other feels pain and sorrow. When the husband and wife choose to split, permanent damage occurs not only to each of them but also to the image of God within.

God has created our marriage relationships to be holy covenants with our Creator. We promise our spouse to love, honor, and cherish them till death parts us. We promise God to grow in love and grace so that the devil cannot get a foothold in our marriage.

If you are reading this and are married or considering marriage, remember to keep God's design for marriage holy, keep your spouse the second most important part of your life just behind God, and work at strengthening the bond between God, your honey, and you.