Two doves walking the wall. The male dove takes a few steps and turns to see if his mate is following. She starts up the incline and stops. They both look at me. Then, the male turns and takes a few steps forward, turns and looks at her. She follows.

And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:22-25

God created the perfect companion for Adam. God fashioned Eve from Adam’s body and presented her to him as God’s masterpiece. Adam’s gift: a beautiful wife who completed him. Together, they became one. And they walked with God in purity. Nothing was hidden. They were naked before God and before each other, and they were not ashamed.

Holy communion with each other and with God.

Until disobedience – until they ate the fruit from the
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Then death came – spiritual death and eventual physical death. Separation from the Garden of Eden and God also came.

Mourning doves mate for life, and appear to suffer loss when one dies, trying to revive the mate and returning to the place where the mate died.

I am sure that Adam and Eve mourned their deaths and separation from the Garden of Eden and God.

Yet, God allowed them to keep the union that they enjoyed, although it was now marked with discord and strife. I am sure that they mourned this, too.

Adam and Eve still had a picture, a shadow of the unity with each other and with God that they had enjoyed in the Garden of Eden, we do, too.

This dove couple reminded me of my union with my husband, Keith. You see, we’ve lived overseas, on both coasts, and in the middle of America.

Keith was a JAG in the Air Force. Orders came. Keith and I packed our belongings, and Kristin and I followed Keith.

God made me for Keith. Follow him? Of course, just like the lady dove.

Keith watched over me and beckoned me to continue moving forward, just like the gentleman dove did to his lady dove.

A reminder that nature points us to God.

And marriage dimly reflects the union the church has with Jesus as His bride. Complete unity with Jesus. Complete unity with each other.

This is the mystery of Christ.

“‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:31-32

The lesson of the doves: continue to climb the walls together, watching and beckoning each other in the beauty and sweet cooing of the other.

Solomon delighted in his wife, and he covered her with his praises.

Tell your spouse how much you adore being married and how great your love is TODAY!

My prayer

Blessed Father, thank You for the lesson of the doves. They are a picture of how we will enjoy the oneness the church will enjoy with Jesus. They are a reminder that You created marriage as a reflection of unity with You. Thank You for such a beautiful and intimate gift. Thank You for marriage. Strengthen the church’s marriages and make us more aware of Your presence in our marriages. We love our spouses, Lord. Increase our love and commitment to each other as we look to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.