Friday, September 2, 2016

Well, last Saturday evening my baby married her best friend. It was an awesome wedding, and reception. Her nieces and nephew were involved in the wedding, and his nieces were also involved. It is so awesome when events come together in such a wonderful way.

Just after the rehearsal, I was sitting and talking with the pastor, who is an old (not age wise) friend from back when I was pastoring. As we spoke, I was reminded of something that has accumulated over the years in my mind.

The Hebrew “YHWH”, that we pronounce as “YAHWEH” carries the connotation of male/female. During the Creation event, when God said, “Let us make man in our own image” He was referring to man being also male/female. That is God’s image.

A rabbi friend of mine informs me that according to the Torah, Adam lived and had relations with each of the animals that were created; along with giving them names. After mating with each of the animals God determined none were adequate to meet man’s needs. God stated that it was not good for man to be alone. Rather than chop the man up to separate the male from the female, God removed a rib from the man, and using it as a foundation formed the woman. Is it not interesting, that the form given to the woman, was almost a mirror image of the man? When the two were put together they truly became one.

Perhaps that is why Scripture admonishes us that a woman shall leave her father and mother and cling to her husband. Scripture also informs us when a man and a woman have sexual relation they become one. How true. They become one in more ways than one. The sexual union truly cements them together, which is why we find divorce to be so traumatic. And probably indicates why people experience so much loss and pain after having many sexual unions. Marriage of one man and one woman completes the oneness that is the image of God.