Country singer Tammy Winette warbled Stand By Your Man just after she dumped hers.

Ever seen a romantic movie whose stars, writers and directors are not on their third marriage or umpteenth fling? The Hollywood area has the world’s highest income per person, but the world’s highest divorce rate - 80% for first marriages.

Is life-long love an old-fashioned idea that no longer works, or is it wired into the human mind?

What insights does the Bible offer?

The oldest love story is Adam and Eve. Even if you think it’s a myth or a metaphor, it contains some deep ideas.

Adam is lonely, and God says ‘It’s not good for man to be alone.’ Which is still true. One study found suicide rates for singles are 17 per hundred thousand compared to only 9 for married people, which must say something about love and security. (But then the suicide rate is 204 for people who’ve been through breakup.)

Studies show that the most vital ingredient of good marriages is friendship: acceptance, ability to talk openly, understanding, doing things together. It’s even more basic than good sex, romance, wealth, leisure, etc God says, ‘I will create someone to be his counterpart and help him.’ That word ‘help’ doesn’t mean she was his slave, because it’s also used of God as our helper. And the word ‘counterpart’ means they work together as equals and opposites - like two feet that are exactly opposite, but match; or like the two blades of scissors working in opposition but together. There are a lot of opposite things about men and women (surprise surprise!). Without understanding, they cause conflict. With understanding, they are an advantage (and give you lots to joke about!)

God makes Eve from Adam’s rib - not from his foot-bone to be trodden on, not from his head to boss him around, but near his heart.