Joined… 37 years ago, the preacher said something about ‘what God has joined together…’
Joined. Connected. Fastened together.
Yep. That would be me and my man. I can’t fathom life without the extension of my self. After that ceremony 37 years ago, we were pronounced ‘joined in holy matrimony’. We now begin the 38th year of marriage.
But that ceremony isn’t what did it. The ceremony and following physical events had little to do with it. All of those things could not and would not have joined us together as we are today. But it was the beginning…
To our culture, I became his wife on that day, because of a legal document and ceremony.
To me, I became his wife on that day because of the choice I made to trust his love and commit myself to him.
I have joined few other things in my life.
I joined a sorority, for about a month. ( I was young and ignorant. )
I joined a network of pyramid sales, for about 3 months. ( I was young and ignorant )
I joined a gym, for a year. ( I had a son who wanted to work out…and the contract called for a year or I surely would have quit sooner! )
But God didn’t join me to those things. My checkbook joined me to them for the most part.
God did join me to my husband, and He did not do it through a legal document or a physical act. Only He can do that, only He can really join..…and it’s a pity that so many people don’t include Him and experience the power and influence of His Holy Spirit in their lives.
God has also joined me to Himself and to His children.
“There is one body and one Spirit………one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph. 4:4-6)
If you wear the Name of Jesus the Christ, our Father has joined me to you, together with our Savior, in His One Body. Not by some ceremony, not by some legal document, not by the power of some state….
But by the power of the cross.
“His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity ………… in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross.”(Eph. 2:15-16)
