One of the most important thoughts associated with "Developing A Strong Mar-riage" is A Commitment To Develop Unity. Genesis 2:24 states that, "There-fore, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh". It is that thought "one flesh" that I want to focus on for this Marital Moment. Becoming one flesh and developing unity does not happen over night. The very thought itself suggest a process. Two people with very different backgrounds, temperaments, habits, scars, feelings, parents, edu-cational pursuits, gifts, and interest simply do not leave a wedding ceremony in perfect unity. It is that moment that the unity process is just beginning. Further-more the sharing of the same house, dinning table, and bed does not automatically bring two people into unity. It takes a great deal of time and a whole lot of effort to bring two very different individuals into perfect harmony. Although it is a slow and sometimes painful process, it is defiantly worth the effort. It is God's design for the marriage relationship. It should be the goal of every marriage. The follow-ing thoughts give us some simple directions on how to obtain unity in the home. (1) Unity comes when there is a deep desire to have unity in the home. (2)Unity is developed in a climate of unconditional love for your husband / wife. (3) Unity results from dedicated and diligent work on your part to get along with your mate. (4) Unity is a by product of faithfully serving and obeying God. Unity must not be mistaken for uniformity. Uniformity occurs in donut shops and car assembly lines. In our text in Genesis 2, God brought Eve to Adam not to be a female Adam, but to be distinctly unique and different from him. God did, how-ever, expect them to dwell together in unity. Psalms 133:1 gives us an important thought. There the Bible says, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity". If it is good for believers it is also good for husband and wife. God expects no less from our homes. Remember, If you would "Develop A Strong Marriage" then you must be Committed To De-veloping Unity in your home.
