I just returned home from my oldest son's wedding at a fabulous tropical resort near Cancun. Once again, I am awestruck by the wisdom of God's plan . . . one woman for one man. God, Himself, originated the incredibly fulfilling union of a husband and wife in the marriage relationship intended to display, among other things, the character of God.
As I write this, my brain is foggy due to fatigue resulting from traveling and celebrating. So I hope for your sake my thoughts file together in a normal progression tonight! But here is what is on my mind . . .
Aside from God's obvious intention to institute marriage as a way to propagate the human race and fill the earth with people He created, I see several more reasons for the establishment of marriage as a base for the family unit.
First of all, God says in Genesis 2:27, "And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." All the male and female characteristics are embodied in the character of God. Man alone cannot claim to reflect the whole image of God by his personality. Nor can woman. Only when the two are joined in the holy state of matrimony can humanity truly reflect even a small representation of God's completeness.
Which brings us to the concept of balance in the home . . . of God's plan for parenting children. Due to our imperfect world, death and divoorce often place a father or mother in the challenging role of a single parent. I was one myself for two years. But God's s ideal intention was to provide both a male and female role model for children in the home. A woman cannot be both a mother and a father. Nor can a man.
Male and female characteristics compliment each other to provide a stable and secure environment that can promote the normal emtional and spiritual development of a child. God can and does "fill in the gaps" when needed, as in the examples cited above. But we can only succeed as a culture if we commit to live in obedience to His design for marriage.
Finally, apart from the union of a man and woman, there is no natural, God-ordained way to produce children. As I watched my son and his bride standing under the canopy, holding hands and exchanging vows, bubbly sparks of love and delight flew from eye to eye. The strong male physic of the groom enhanced the soft, gentle form of his bride. Their physical differences filled out the picture . They "fit" together. Since his original ploy for deception in the Garden of Eden, Satan has been attempting to distort God's perfect plan for the people He created. Through the distortion of marriage, Satan attempts to thwart God's plan for procreation.
We will find God's ways to be victorious at the end of time. May we as a people choose to follow His ways now.
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