Moments Together for Couples 2/19

by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

Genesis 2:22
And the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.

To discover God's plan for marriage, let's return to Genesis 2. As we revisit the Garden of Eden, we watch the drama unfold. God makes Adam, but then says, "It isn't good for man to be alone; I will make a companion for him, a helper suited to his needs"(see v. 18). God causes a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. He takes one of his ribs and fashions it into the woman. There is a picture of completeness, and I also believe it's a picture of oneness because man and woman are made from the same material.

But now we have an all-important question: How would Adam receive Eve? The way many read the familiar Genesis account, Adam's response seems rather ho-hum: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man" (v. 23). But I like The Living Bible paraphrase: "This is it!" In other words, Adam was excited-he was beside himself!

Now, obviously, Eve looked pretty good to Adam. That's why he said, "This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh." She definitely looked better to him than all the animals he had just named, but there is a cornerstone principle for marriage here that we don't want to miss: Adam had faith in God's integrity.

Eve had done nothing to earn Adam's response. Adam knew only one thing about Eve-she was a gift from the God he knew intimately. Adam simply accepted her because God made her for him, and he knew that God could be trusted.

Today, God wants us to receive the spouse He has custom made for us. He can still be trusted.

To reject your mate is to reflect negatively on the character of God. It's as though you are saying, "God, You slipped up, You didn't know what You were doing when You provided this person for me." Rejection of your mate for weakness, or for any other reason, is disobedience toward God and failure to fulfill His plan and purpose for your life.

Will you receive your spouse as God's gift for you?

Prayer:

Thank God for His gift to you of your spouse.

Discuss: Is there anything about your mate that you don't accept? Are there areas in which you don't feel accepted by your mate?

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