"Love Completes Each Other"

We move on to a new topic, yet one that relates to the oneness concept which we have been studying. Love Dare begins in the Garden of Eden. God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone”, and so He created Eve (Genesis 2:18-25). Adam, though complete with God, found his needs met even more fully with Eve, his complement in life. The same can be true for your marriage as well. Love must be willing to act alone if necessary, but it is always better when it is not just a solo performance.

God designed one man and one woman to complement one another is so many ways. Consider how our bodies were made for each other. Furthermore, our natures and temperaments can provide balance, enabling us to work together to complete tasks before us. Where one is weak, the other is strong. When one needs building up, the other is there to support and encourage. We can multiply one another’s joys and divide one another’s sorrows.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 is a beautiful wisdom passage that explains why two are better than one. God created unique differences and needs in each of us that our spouse is exclusively designed to meet. These differences are often a source of misunderstandings and conflict, but they can also be blessings if we recognize and respect them. Marriage is about far more than just our happiness - it is also an important part of our sanctification process, making us more holy.

Differences give us the opportunity to complement and complete our spouse. And when we learn to accept them, we can bypass criticism and go straight to helping and appreciating one another. But sadly, some can’t get past these differences and therefore miss many precious opportunities. They fail to take advantage of the uniqueness that makes each of them more effective when including the other.

Marriage is one way God shows both husbands and wives that we are not all-sufficient in ourselves, and that the effectiveness of our marriage is dependent upon both of us working together. It is important to understand that your spouse is integral to your future success and to encourage their opinions on matters affecting both of you. If you have ignored their input in the past, admit your oversight and ask them to forgive you. Let them know of your desire to include them in upcoming decisions and that you welcome their perspective and counsel.

God has put you together for a purpose. And though you will not always agree with your spouse’s perspective, love calls you to still give their views sincere respect and consideration. This follows God’s design for your relationship and protects the oneness He intends. Joined together, you are greater than your individual parts. You need each other. You complete each other.

I will end with a story and FYI. We just completed a long drive to South Carolina. This periodically tested my patience — something that is not one of my stronger traits. Thankfully, I was blessed by Eileen’s companionship and encouragement, which actually made the trip enjoyable. It was a personal example of how love can complement and complete one another in tasks that we face. We continue to Florida next month for our son’s wedding, so I will take a writing break until late November. Until then, God bless.