One Flesh

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. ESV Ephesians 5:31-33

Last week Melisa and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. This anniversary marks a milestone. Now we have both been married for over half of our lives. Lot’s of things have changed in 22 years and yet some things are the same. As we look back on honeymoon pictures we wonder what happened to those two skinny kids that were just married. Our own kids look at those same pictures and laugh out loud though I’m not exactly sure what they find humor in.

We’ve got one picture in particular that sits in our study. Melisa and I are on a sky lift in Gatlinburg; it was old then but still in operation the last time we went up. Our son, Chris, can’t believe that the same sky lift is still there; being so old you know. I had on a really cool straw hat, some strange foot gear and white tube socks that came nearly to my knees complete with red rings around the top. Caution: Before you laugh too hard, go back and check out your own high school pictures. Let me just say that Melisa looked like the girl of my dreams and leave it at that.

But I digress. Since that honeymoon trip all those years ago we have started wearing different clothes. And now it’s hard to tell whether my hair has more salt or pepper. That skinny guy in the picture is in the 200lb club and hard to beat going downhill on a bicycle; hard to stop too. Melisa has changed too, but only for the better. Two children have been added and we’ve grown from being two kids with a dream to a family.

When you spend 22 years together you begin to know each other in ways that you could not have imagined at the onset. For instance, I can tell by the way Melisa answers the phone whether she is stressed, distracted or whether it’s a good time to mention an upcoming bicycling trip I’ve planned; all by the tone of her voice. And if you were to quiz her, she would likewise know me just as well. Marriage is intended to be a wonderful union and I am thankful that mine is. Our text even says that the union should function as if “one flesh.”

Paul reminds us that the relationship between Christ and His Church is similar to the institution of marriage. At least when marriage is functioning as God intended. That’s one of many reasons why we should take our local church membership seriously. When we identify with a local church, we are testifying to the community that we are members of the body of Christ; one flesh.

How would you describe your relationship to the church? Is it estranged or does it grow and develop each year into something sweeter? Do you respect the authority and spiritual leadership of your local church? Do you participate within the body? Are you helping the local church to function as one flesh with Christ as its head? Relationships, whether we’re talking about physical marriage or the church, take effort. Be willing to put forth the effort to make your’s grow.

Food for thought… “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” ESV Ephesians 5:25