BY PASTOR MARK HOPPER
Pastor Mark Hopper
In my last article, I mentioned that my wife and I had attended four weddings in four weeks from late August and to the end of September. All of the weddings were at outdoor locations from Temecula to Malibu, from Oak Glen to downtown L.A.
It used to be that June was the month for weddings, but one wedding planner told me that now September has become the new popular choice for weddings.
There is a passage in the Bible that says, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, cleave to his wife and the two will become one flesh,” (Genesis 2:24). This short verse contains three important words.
When a couple gets married, they need to leave their father and mother. They need to end their dependence on their parents and establish their own family. Many young adults have already done this by finishing school and starting a career. But, sometimes they have remained financially and emotionally dependent on their parents.
In addition, the married couple needs to cleave to one another. The word in the original Hebrew language has the idea of an unbreakable bond. We might use the word “super glue” to convey the idea that a married couple needs to “stick together” and not let anything or anyone break this sacred commitment.
Finally, the Bible verse also says that the married man and woman “become one flesh”. This expresses the physical intimacy that God intended for a married couple to share. It is one of the most remarkable and unique relationships known to mankind.
These days, sadly, physical intimacy is not taken seriously. Movies, TV sitcoms, books and magazines often give the impression that intimacy does not need to be protected and that people should pursue any relationships they want.
Maybe it sounds old fashioned to encourage students and young adults to not live recklessly and thoughtlessly in this area of their lives. Maybe it seems unrealistic to expect married couples to remain faithful to their wedding vows and to one another.
Maybe we need to remind ourselves and our kids that marriage is something very special.
Weddings are special moments in the lives of the couple getting married and for families who celebrate this wonderful occasion.
Regardless of what month you select for your wedding, I hope you will remember these three important words – leave, cleave and become one!
Pastor Mark Hopper is from the Evangelical Free Church of Diamond Bar, 3255 South Diamond Bar Ave. Sunday services are 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. For more information, call (909) 594-7604 or visit http://www.efreedb.org.
