Day 1.
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” …So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:18, 21, 22 ESV)
When Adam was created he was out in the garden to “work it and take care of it.” It was a step toward his larger calling to exercise dominion over all of God’s creatures. It is in this context that God says, “it is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” So the woman is man’s helper in his calling to excercise dominion. It is also interesting to note that when she is created from man, she is created from a rib from Adam’s side and not a bone from his foot or from something on his head. They stand side by side thus in the task that God has given the man. They are equal in that they are side by side but with different roles. Man is the head in their calling and the woman is the helper.
This is counter cultural to today’s America, in which the distinction of the genders is being blurred altogether. This loss of the distinction between blenders was preceded by a loss of the distinction between roles. Even in the more conservative households there is a loss of the view of standing side by side. People get married when they think they have found the person that makes their heart swell with love. But this relationship is a face to face relationship. It is great for a while but it is unsustainable. The calling to exercise dominion has been lost in the relationship. At the same time it can be a back to back relationship in which each partner pursues his own independent career. Sometimes these careers can fit well, but often they add strain to the relationship. The career paths are pursued independently in order to bring joy to each. The problem is that each is seeking to build his own kingdom rather than working cooperatively in their part to cultivate God’s kingdom.
For those of you who are married, where do you see your marriage?
Ask the Lord for a recovery of Biblical marriages within the church.
Chronological Reading Plan plus Psalms: Ge 1-3, Ps 1
We will pray that God will strengthen the roles of men and women in the church.