Today's Passage - Ephesians 5:31-33

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Ephesians 5:31-33   "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.  This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church.  However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband."   Traditional Asian families focus on the last generation, so whenever we think of family we think about how we can take care of our parents.  Even child-bearing is done for pleasing our parents.  Modern families focus on the next generation, so parents will do whatever it takes in order to give our children a bright future.  What the Bible emphasizes when it comes to family, however, is the current generation.  The current generation is the foundation of the family.  If father and mother love each other, they can take care of their parents and teach their children more effectively.  Therefore, the first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve was not to take care of the parents, or to bear lots of children, but it's to "leave their parents and be united with their wives, for the two shall become one."  "Becoming one" is not just a physical union, but also a unity in their souls.   First of all, becoming one is a unity of the body.  In marriage, through love of intimacy, the bodies are united.  This is a beautiful gift that God gave to people.  Therefore, husbands and wives cannot claim that their bodies belong to themselves, but rather they have become one body.  Since they are one body, they can't just focus on their own needs or to satisfy their own desires, but they must seek mutual pleasure and satisfaction and they need to respect and care for one another.  Because the body belongs to both, we need to care for each other, and offer our body as living sacrifice for God to use.   Next, becoming one is the union of souls.  Husband and wife should be best friends who never cease to share their feelings.  Many people stop dating after their wedding; husbands are busy all day long and wives have their own career, and when they are home, they just eat and sleep.  While it looks like they are living together, they actually never communicate.  According to family statistics in the U.S., the first sign of marriage breakup is the lack of communication.  Therefore, after the wedding, don't forget to spend time on communicating; not only during the honeymoon, but also agree to become best friends who can talk about anything every day in your life.   Finally, becoming one is the union of the spirits.  You need to let God come into your marriage, and let Him be the first in your family.  Bring all things before God to seek His will in praying, requesting and thanksgiving.  When are you both obeying God, you will truly enjoy unity in Christ.                                                                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, in your name I bless all the husbands that they would know how to love their wives like how you love the church.  I also bless all the wives that they will submit to their husbands because they submit to you.  May you pour down your love from the throne to resolve any misunderstandings that we may have with our spouses in the past and satisfy the needs in the bottom of our hearts.  Tightly unite us again so that we may truly enjoy the joy of two becoming one in Christ.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!