From the beginning, it was always God's intention to create woman. She was not an afterthought because He suddenly realised that man was lonely and wasn't fulfilled hanging out with all the birds and animals. We read in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes." (Ephesians 1:4 NLT) This indicates that men and women were both special to God, way before the world even came into being —we had already been chosen!
"Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him." So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man's ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. "At last!" the man exclaimed. "This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called 'woman,' because she was taken from 'man.'" This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Now the man and his wife were both naked, but they felt no shame."
Genesis 2:18-25 NLT
It's particularly special to read of Adam's delight when he woke from his deep sleep (he was in a sense waking from the first anaesthetic after the first surgery) and saw that finally, he was not alone! God had given him the perfect companion!
Eve was bone from Adam's bone and flesh from his flesh! We see God's important purpose in creating Eve this way when we read Ephesians 5:28, "In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself." In loving Eve, Adam was loving himself because she was made from his very own body! This could explain why there is such a unique attraction between man and woman. It also shows how perfect it is that they should become 'one flesh' as that is how they started out!
The institution of marriage is first seen here in Genesis, 'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.'
A man and woman are joined together for life. Jesus quotes Genesis 2:24, then goes on to say, "Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together." (Matthew 19:6 NLT)
This oneness is not only of a sexual nature but is expressed completely in the marriage relationship. Though it could be said an initial bond in a one-flesh relationship is formed at the first sexual encounter a couple has, the complete fullness of what God purposes to do in the relationship, takes time. In the security of a loving, committed marriage partnership, with God at the centre, this oneness flourishes!
The closeness of the relationship between Adam, Eve and God was seen in the fact that they were totally naked and felt 'no shame'. They were totally exposed in every way but they had nothing to hide at all —there was no sin, no guilt, no shame.Their relationship was perfect and they lived in the perfect garden God had given them.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
I thank You and praise You for creating man and woman in such a special way. I thank You for the way they are so perfectly suited to one another and that You established the marriage relationship where two are joined together to become one. In a constantly changing world, it's good to know how You first made and planned everything. Thank You for Your Word which guides us. It's like the instruction manual that accompanies us. You made us so you know what is best for us. Help us to refer to this 'manual' often, in order to make the most of the special relationships You intend us to have.
For Your glory,
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
"For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see."
Psalms 36:9 NLT
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Light and Life for Today
روحانياتA daily devotional for your time alone with God. In an increasingly dark world, more than ever, we need to look beyond what we can see, past our present circumstances. In order to see the light and experience life as our Heavenly Father intended, I...
