Devotionals

The Family Begins in a Commitment of Love

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. Ephesians 5:31 AMP

If you were to hold a lump of dark green clay in one hand, and a lump of light green clay in the other, you could clearly identify the two shades of color. However if you were to mold the two lumps together, kneading them thoroughly until they were truly blended, you would see just one lump green clay... at least at first glance. Upon closer inspection, you could see the distinct and separate lines of dark and light green clay, yet it would be virtually impossible to separate the clay intow two pure colors again.

That is an image of what it means for a husband and wife to become "one flesh" -- love binds the couple together, especially as they knead out some of their differences and develop a life of mutual goals, activities, and relationship.

A grandma once told her young granddaughter that Jim and June were coming for a visit. With eager anticipation, they baked a special treats and cleaned the house thoroughly in expectation of their overnight stay. With wide-eyed wonder the little girl exclaimed upon their arrival, "Nanna, there are two people. Someone came with Jim-and-June!" When the name of one is so readily associated with the other... the clay truly has been blended.