Exposition
Marriage, as has already been established, is between two people (biological male and female). In Eden, we saw God put Adam in a deep sleep and took out one of his ribs. God created Eve out of the rib and brought her to Adam, who took her as his wife. It is obvious that God played an integral part in Adam’s marriage to Eve.
In our day and time, God doesn’t literally put men to sleep and form their wives out of their ribs. However, by yielding to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, a believer is able to make a godly choice for a wife or husband. Through prayer and obedience to the word of God, believers enjoy their marriage because God is at the centre of it. In Ecclesiastes 4:12, the Bible says, “though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken”. A cord of three strands here represents God, the groom and the bride. Plaiting these three strands signifies the joining of God, one man and one woman in marriage (monogamy). By keeping the Lord at the centre of marriage, His love will continue to increase and unite the couple.
A cord of three strands ceremony or God’s knot is a ceremony incorporated in weddings in some parts of the world. This is done by the groom holding the top ring joining the cords, the bride braids the strands together, indicating the union between husband, wife and God. Once the unity braid is completed, the officiant wraps the couples’ hands with it or puts the braid over their shoulders to signify the Lord amid them. Similarly, when a couple prays, studies the Word of God and most importantly practises God’s word together, the marriage becomes formidable.