People are Not Easy to Love no. 21

“Then God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the person; and while he was sleeping, he took one of his ribs and closed up the place from which he took it with flesh. The rib which Adonai, God, had taken from the person, he made a woman-person; and he brought her to the man-person. The man-person said, “At last! This is bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh. She is to be called Woman , because she was taken out of Man .” This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and they are to be one flesh” (B'resheet (Gen) 2:21-24).

A wedding is more than a ceremony where folks gather together for celebration. A marriage is a joining of two into one. A union of two independent persons into a union of cooperation. This is a union that requires grace, mercy, and love.

Marriage requires that we are gracious to one another. Often this grace takes the form of service to one another. We have to set aside our own ego and pride for the strength of the union. This requires that both husband and wife are gracious to each other. We need to come to each other in forgiveness, repentance, regeneration, and salvation in order to strengthen each other, ourselves, and the union we share.

Marriage requires that we are merciful to one another. Often this mercy takes the form of forgiveness to one another. We have to begin to understand that working in unity with someone else is going to challenge our heart. We need to come to each other with a heart of lovingkindness in order to strengthen each other, ourselves, and the union we share.

Marriage requires that we are loving to one another. Often this love takes the form of building up one another. We have to work in unity out of the best for each other to strengthen the union. We need to come to each other with a heart of patience and kindness in order to strengthen each other, ourselves, and the union we share.

We are to become one flesh through this covenant. We become one through service to each other. This covenant before Him requires us to model His harmony with the heart of grace, mercy, and love.