Day 8: Sweet Companion

sweet companion

We left off yesterday the with Truth that Adam needs his own Someone. So God does surgery … while Adam’s sleeping, of course. The Lord removes a rib to create his Someone – Someone just for him. Can you imagine Adam’s excitement when he wakes up? A totally cool setup – just for him.

He already has the whole world at his fingertips. Lots of food. Freedom to putter around in a lavish Garden. Then God gives him a wife, too? She’s the perfect addition to make his life the Paradise God wanted him to enjoy.

That’d be better than having control of the remote, don’t you think?
Besides, they were the only two people on Earth at that point
… and the football hadn’t been invented yet.

Just think about it.

Adam has everything going for him. The Garden is pure pleasure for all his senses. Sight, sound, fragrance, taste, touch. Nevertheless, the Lord thinks of one thing more He wants for Adam. God sees Adam’s need, and gives him the Perfect Partner.

His Bride is there to rescue him from being alone. Now he has a Sweet Companion – Someone like him – only different – very different. Someone with whom he can enjoy the pleasures of God’s Creation. Plus they are both totally naked. She’s beautiful beyond words … and totally irresistible.

His own Sweet Companion. Adam can hardly believe his luck!

  • No competition anywhere.
  • Complete Freedom, and no 2-hour commute to work 5 days a week.
  • Plus Endless Rapture with his Sweet Companion.

[callout]Sex with her whenever he’s in the mood
– which I’m guessing is pretty much all the time.[/callout]

And Eve’s only desire is to be beside her Dearest Husband, to give herself completely to him, and to bask in his love. She experiences his desire for her as pure Joy and Bliss.

  • No meals to cook.
  • No dishes to wash.
  • No house to clean.
  • No kids to pick up after.
  • And no dirty laundry to do.

Only a totally Hot Husband who adores her. Lucky girl!

Bonus! God Himself comes down from Heaven in the cool of the evening and walks with them in the Garden. And none of them even care if He walks in on their Lovemaking. After all, it was His idea in the first place, right?

For this reason …

 That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
(Genesis 2:24-25)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  • What about this story sounds like you and your mate … in the beginning?
  • If your relationship has gone south since then, when did the trouble begin?
  • What have you done to try to regain the love you once had?

Day 7: In the Beginning

God creates

God creates the Heavens and the Earth – from Nothing. You and I can’t imagine Nothing. For us, there has always been Something. Scientists claim they’ve figured out how to make Something out of Nothing. However, they need a lot of special equipment to get it done.

[callout]God doesn’t need any special equipment.
He just says, “Let there be.” And there is![/callout]

For instance, He says, “Let there be light.”
And suddenly there is … both light and darkness.
That is, Day and Night. Day One. He’s pleased with His work.

On Day Two, His “Let there be” separates Sky from Water.
So far, so good. That’s how He sees it.

On Day Three, He really gets busy with Land and Seas, and Plants and Trees.
All come into being at the sound of His voice. And He sees again that it’s all good.

Day Four brings Sun, Moon, and Stars. So far, still good.
He’s setting the stage for Romance now, don’t you think?

Day Five comes with Sea Creatures and Winged Birds. All good, of course.
But this time, the Lord gives a blessing and instructions to what He has created.

God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number
and fill the water in the seas,
and let the birds increase on the earth.”

(Genesis 1:22)

On Day Six He creates Land Animals. Of course, He saves His Best for last.
He creates Man and Woman in His Image – to rule over the Fish and the Birds,
the Animals and the Creepy Crawlers.
And He gives them Plenty to eat.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number;
fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky
and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

(Genesis 1:28)

Are you beginning to see a pattern when God creates?

The Lord blesses us, commands fruitfulness, and expects us to increase.
Plus, He gives man dominion over Creation. All of Creation!

This is where the Story gets really good. I love the way the Lord shows us more detail about just how He creates Adam. He tells us man is formed from the dust of the ground, and that God Himself breathes into Adam the Breath of Life.

Then He sets the man down – smack in the middle of Eden – with enjoyable and fruitful work to do (pun intended). Adam is now the Resident Gardener with amazing freedom. He can eat anything he wants … except the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

That sounds easy enough, yes?
I’m sure Adam thought so, too.

Now we get to the really good part.
Well, it’s actually the no-so-good part.

That is, what is not-so-good at that point
– compared to everything else,
which is good – is that Adam is alone.

[callout]Adam needs his own Someone.[/callout]

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  • What assumptions might we make about men based on the Story of Creation?
  • How is the Biblical account relevant to where we are today as a society?
  • What might it mean for you and the one you love?

Day 5: Why Me?

why me?

You know My Story. I was raised apart from my father. Married at 18. Divorced by 35. A single mom with 3 sons, very little work experience, and a high school diploma. I don’t know if I ever asked, “Why me?” Honestly, that shipped sailed so long ago that I don’t remember. But I did ask questions. A lot of questions.

Perhaps your story is similar in some way. Your dreams didn’t come true, and you’ve tried to understand. Perhaps you’ve asked one (or more) of these questions:

  • Why did this have to happen?
  • What did I do to deserve this?
  • What am I missing out on because of this?

So why do bad things happen?

Asking why – or any of those other questions – will never get us anywhere.
In other words, how you see the problem is the problem.

Consider it pure joy?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing
of your faith produces perseverance.
(James 1:2-3)

[callout]How does that work?
Ask a different question instead.[/callout]

“What does this experience make possible?”
Some examples …

  1. Failure develops humility.
  2. Waiting develops patience.
  3. Grief develops gratefulness.
  4. Hardship develops strength.
  5. Opposition develops fortitude.

All of which will bear fruit in a practical way.

For instance – although I had never ever wanted to go through divorce – that experience made something new possible. My dream of going to college was always simmering on the back burner. But I hadn’t the freedom to go to school and manage my marriage at the same time. My then-husband opposed all my attempts for self-improvement. His decision to leave freed me to become who I am created to be.

Failure. Waiting. Grief. Hardship. Opposition. It took me 4 1/2 years more to actually get started, but once I did, I fairly flew. My experience had developed New Stuff in me. Humility. Patience. Gratefulness. Strength. Fortitude.

PLUS a Bachelor’s of Arts degree. A Master of Arts degree. And a Doctor of Psychology degree. All back-to-back!!! Who could have seen that coming?

And where I am now in the process of life
is deepening who I am in Christ!

[callout]Jesus has given me Beauty instead of ashes.
Just as He promised.[/callout]

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
    and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

So here are my questions for you:

  • What does your current (or past) experience make possible that you would have missed without it? What is The Lord wanting to give you instead?