Greetings Prayer Warriors,
Most of you are familiar with the scripture passage:
However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘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 flesh. Mark 10:7-8
One could contemplate the last line for years. One flesh? But why? However, when read in light of the following scripture, the earlier passage become more illuminated and beckons more consideration.
As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. Now the body is not a single part, but many. Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary,and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
Corinthians 12: 12, 14, 22-26
In marriage, are we lifting up the weaknesses of each other, or calling them out? Are we, treating “our” less presentable parts with more propriety? Are we sharing in our spouse’s sufferings so that they never walk alone? Are we sharing their joy when they are honored, versus harboring resentment? Are we contemplating the fact that we are ONE and what we do against the other harms us? Such is the mystery of God’s covenant of marriage.
Lord, we pray for the wisdom to understand your will for the marriage covenant. You have made us one, so we ask that you first help us love ourselves as we seek more unity within our marriages. Help us to always bring our best self to the other. As we seek understanding and patience from our spouse for our imperfections (physical, emotional, spiritual), may we offer the same to our spouse. May our prayer dissolve any division, anger, and contentiousness. Teach us how to love with humility, gentleness, and compassion. Bless us with an unbreakable bond, secured by your grace. We pray this prayer, not just on our behalf, but on behalf of all who are seeking a stronger, Christ-centered marriage. Amen.
Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet
Make us one! Pass it on!
