The Beginning: "MARRIAGE"

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Not much is said about the first wedding. God swirls some dust and "poof!" there's man. Then He swirls a rib and "poof!" there's woman. "...And He brought her to the man." (Genesis 2:22)

That's the first wedding.

Come now. What girl doesn't want to know Eve's wedding colors? The flowers? Whether it was sunset or sunrise? The style of her dress? For the guys in the room, don't you wish marriage was still that simple? No stiff tuxedo or bridezillas? No waiting once you found that girl of your dreams?

So what if? What if weddings were still that simple? Prayer and promises, then God gives the woman to the man. This question arose in my marriage-centered brain after God introduced me to my future husband last November. Only a few months passed before I started saving up for my wedding and planning my life around Daylen Brandes. It was such a clear progression to knowing we were made for each other, but that progression came to a sudden halt thanks to modern requirements--marriage licenses, big productions, caterers, wedding drama. Now we're stuck knowing we should have been married yesterday, but it can't happen without a white dress, preacher, and a lot of relatives.

I spent several days daydreaming about Eve. God just presented her to Adam, they knew they were meant for each other (granted, they were the only two humans on Earth at the time), and voila! they're "married" under God. I would love to just pray with my man and open my eyes as a married woman.

No wonder physical intimacy is often a struggle for Christian couples prior to the wedding--the world says, "Oh, you've realized you want to get married? Okay, hold that thought and wait for 10 months." Suddenly a natural progression of closeness is halted and, whether the couple likes it or not, they're forced into a situation of ultimate, ridiculous, stressful patience.

I just keep thinking, "Hurry up, time! We need to get our life started! God has so many great plans for us once we're married!" Imagine if we started acting on those plans today. Instead, I'm just hoping that I live long enough to make it to my wedding and get going on God's blueprints.

(Be sure to read the introduction to "The Beginning Series" and "The Beginning: Alone")