What is the Point of Marriage: Friendship

Loved this devotional I recieved today and I wanted to share bits and pieces of it.... After he created Adam, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Why not? Well, because humans are made in God’s image. That means we are called to image God, to mirror and mimic God to the world. But that’s a problem for Adam because God exists in a web of life-giving relationships, but Adam is alone. Early in the story, God says, “Let us make mankind in our image.” Who is God talking to? Himself! When people say, “All you need God." it’s just not true. God never says, “All you need is God.” Adam has God, and it’s not enough. God says, “It is not good for the man to be alone”! In the wedding ceremony God says, “They become one flesh.” That word one isechad in Hebrew. It’s a graphic, weighty word. When you combine it with the word flesh, it basically means “fused together at the deepest levels.” And the exact same word is used for God. The ancient Hebrews had a prayer called theShema that was the epicenter of Israel’s faith — “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is echad.” God is fused together at the deepest levels. And in marriage we catch glimpses, hints, shadows of that kind of oneness. There’s a line in the Hebrew wisdom literature that refers to a person’s spouse as his or her allup. It’s a word that can be translated “companion” or “best friend.” Your spouse is your closest friend. That’s one of the reasons God created marriage. For you to walk through life with the person you enjoy. With your spouse as the primary relationship in your life. Your allup. The one who knows you better than anybody. Better than your own mother. To know and be known is a powerful thing. No matter what the day throws at me, I know I’m not alone.