(GENESIS 2:18-24) Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” 19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 23 The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones,
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.”
24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
My mind is now spinning with thoughts and questions! So I'm going to start with the obvious thing that one probably already knows. We were not meant to be alone. We were created as social beings, to work together, and fellowship together, with God and with each other. One of the worst forms of torture is to put people into solitary confinement.
Although Adam was not confined, and he was not alone. He had God right there with him, as well as all the animals. Now, I've heard countless people say that they prefer to avoid people, and just be with their pets. Psychologists call that "relating down", (and it's not just to pets, but to babies, or people who are a bad influence on us...)
What I now just realized in this tiny passage, is that maybe Adam was doing that. One has to realize that even though there wasn't any sin yet, the Garden of Eden was not heaven. Adam was created with choice, intellect and emotions. WHAT IF - Adam had suddenly felt lonely? We don't know if Adam had momentarily forgot that God was right there, all of the time - just like we can so easily do!!! Seriously - it - is - so - easy - to - forget - that God is RIGHT there with us - ALWAYS!!! Anyway...
God hears and knows everything. But God wants us to ask Him for things. And He wants us to be honest with Him, and talk with Him, and listen to Him... What if, while talking with God, Adam brushed Him off, thinking - I can do this myself. I can figure this out on my own.
Soooo... it's like when God sometimes allows things to happen, letting us have and do things our own way. So God brought all the creatures to Adam, giving Adam a chance to go through them all, while giving them all names. BUT FOR ADAM - he didn't manage to solve his own issue. Perhaps Adam even came to a point where he felt like the situation was hopeless. Then God stepped in, and did it for him - the right way!!!
And we see the world's first surgery!!! God put Adam in a deep sleep, opened him up, took a rib, and closed him back up. Then God fashioned woman. And it was very good. They were naked and not ashamed. MAYBE Adam had some shameful thoughts as he was looking at the animals??? We don't know. And why I think I can safely say that is - being tempted is not sin. Dwelling on temptation and acting on temptation - is sin. (But no matter, for now.)
Eve was the suitable helpmate for Adam. Made FOR him and FROM him. I've heard it said, that God took a rib because it was near Adam's heart, and from his side. So Adam and Eve should walk side-by-side, equal, working as a team of "one" in unity. Heart-mates! (I just want to insert here that Jesus is meant to be our soulmate! Only Jesus can fill THAT void.) But as for the physical attraction... Adam would have seen immediately that God was very brilliant, and exceptionally good, amazing and generous!!!
How often do we come across an issue, and first try to solve it on our own? Then remember God and His will! And then when God answers that prayer - wow! Just wow! God is able to work in ways we cannot imagine!!! Why do we so easily and quickly forget to go straight to Him. In fact, as believers we are one with Christ, WHY would we ever want to "leave His side"?
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