She is the source of me feeling lucky in life. It does not mean that she brings me luck in a secular sense. Rather, to have her as my spouse who can also be my friend makes me feel that I am lucky in this life. In life, we spend most of our time to be with our spouse. The time that we spend together is definitely quantitative. Whether or not it is also qualitative, it is not so promising. However, it is not impossible. Having realized that I can luckily find friendship in marriage, a sense of luck, or a sense of being blessed, comes upon me. Marriage is a mystery (Eph. 5:32). Who can guarantee that two different individuals (two sinners) who promise to stay and live together can pull it off day in and day out? By luck or grace, at the end of the day, I can say: “This is my beloved and this is my friend” (Song of Songs 5:16). Marriage, indeed, is a mystery.
In the Genesis narrative, God makes it clear that “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (2:18 ESV). In Gen. 1:26 ESV, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (also see 1:27). After creating man in God’s own image, this man is complete, but not yet complete. A vertical relationship with God is followed by a horizontal relationship. God’s “first no good” must be resolved by making a helper for this man. His aloneness makes it no good; her friendship and companionship makes a difference.
“What is the purpose of marriage? The Bible’s answer to this question starts with the principle that marriage is a friendship.”[1] In marriage, two friends journey towards the end with transparency, constancy, and promise. And the end is this: “what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we will be like him” (1 Jn. 3:2 ESV).
[1] Timothy Keller (with Kathy Keller), The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God (New York: Dutton, 2011), p. 110.
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