what was marriage really intended to be?????

I sometimes wonder what people really think of marriage and what its true purpose is.  Why the institution was ever thought up in the first place.  I don’t think most people get it to be honest.  I think that they think profound love equals marriage.  I don’t agree.  Love and marriage certainly coincide; you wouldn’t marry someone you don’t feel as if you love, but being in love with someone shouldn’t be the basis of your choice to marry.  What is marriage, really?

Your definition probably depends on who you are, your culture and your beliefs.  But, what was the real, true intent when marriage was created.  What did that picture look like?

Since marriage itself goes back further than our history books do, we sort of have to take a little from here and a little from there to put together exactly why marriage was invented.  And if we go back even further than that, really, we’ve got to go off what the true creator of everything, God, has to say about it.  After all, marriage is mentioned in the bible a time or two.

God made Adam first, right?  And then he made Eve for Adam.  Genesis 2: 18 says, “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.”  Man needed a companion; someone to compliment him and walk with him through life.  God decided it wasn’t in his best interest to live life alone.  It would be better with a partner.

And boom, there it is, the true intent of marriage: partnership.

Just like Adam, we all need someone to partner with in life.  To revel in the awesome times and stand with us through all the bad even when it’s ugly.  Especially when it’s ugly.  It’s a commitment to endure this world together.

This brings me back to my all time favorite marriage quote I mentioned a few weeks ago, that essentially says that the first spark of love that you feel for each other is what draws you to the person initially, so indeed those feelings are very important.  But I just think too many people have it wrong.  Those feelings are not meant to last – they serve their purpose and move on.  If you want to live in the “sparks flying” stage forever then you have that right, but you shouldn’t marry.