"The Two Shall Become One" means more than two people

Talking to Fraser in the car and then Gladys over BBQ dinner opened my eyes to something last night. I am marrying into a family rich with spiritual heritage. I knew JD's family loved God - there was no question about that... but the depth to which their faith extended, I hadn't a clue. It started to hit me when Fraser, JD's dad, started sharing his journey of faith and the glimpses of God that the Holy Spirit had given him that I was joining a family that knew and understood and lived for Jesus. Fraser started talking about the formation of Virginia's (JD's mom) family and how he met Virginia and I was blown away by the process of which God so divinely inserted His hand. My realization that God was entering me into this family for purposes that surpassed JD and I was confirmed when I listened to Gladys' (JD's grandmother) story. Her experiences of life are truly marked by the Maker's hand, and though the road has been hard for her, God has taken her on a journey that could parallel one of the Old Testament heroes.

When I think about marriage, I think about the union of two people, in my case, - JD and me. And yet we are merely two people who are part of a much larger picture... With this marriage, God is joining two families - both of which have a remarkable spiritual depth and display of love. I am beginning to understand the Spiritual significance of this marriage, and it includes heritage and geneology. God loves geneology. The entire Old Testament outlines the geneological history of families of the faith (all the way until Jesus' birth - which came through the line of David). There is something that God does spiritually through families. I'm so excited to see how God works in our marriage, and how He uses each of us as individuals to add to the spiritual heritage of each other's families.

I feel like I've only brushed the surface to understanding what God is doing and what it means to marry into another family. I am still discovering more about myself, my own family's heritage, and my fiance's family history... And with each new piece of knowledge, I get more and more excited to marry this man and start our journey together as husband and wife. My desire is that together we would be a force for Christ in this world, because there is no doubt in my mind that His hand has ordained this marriage.