God Running

Genesis 26:34-35 Be Equally Yoked

Equally Yoked

Read Genesis 26:34-35

Last post we saw Isaac’s example of persistence as he dug well after well until he finally found one that worked. Now in verses 34-35 we see that while Isaac was out digging wells, Esau was out taking wives. At the age of forty Esau married two Canaanite women. Unfortunately Esau’s choice of wives wasn’t the best. “They were Canaanites,” you might be saying. “So what’s the big deal?” Good question. I think the issue is the cultural background that they grew up in. There are 139 references to the idols, the pagan gods worshipped by the Canaanites. Their culture is one of paganism, it’s a culture where there’s no room for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God Yahweh. The One who gave Abraham the promise of the Messiah, the One who delivered Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah, the One who fulfilled His promise to Abraham, the promise that Sarah would give birth to Esau’s father well after her child bearing years.

Esau’s parents, Isaac, the one who builds altars to the LORD (Genesis 26: 25), the one who prays in the field seeking God’s best (Genesis 24:63), and Rebekah who followed God’s direction to go with Abraham’s servant to begin a new life, were heart broken and grieved.

Interestingly, as I write this post I’m experiencing the opposite of what Isaac and Rebekah did with Esau. I’m in a waiting room at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital where my nine month old grandson Andrew is recovering from a radical skull reconstruction surgery. His surgeon actually removed the front half of his skull, cut it up into puzzle pieces, then rearranged the pieces to correct a deformity. It’s radical. It’s also emotional. Andrew looks like he just went twelve rounds with Manny Pacquiao. It’s very difficult to watch a nine month old baby in pain to the point where he doesn’t want to be touched. Besides which we’re all sleep deprived and travel weary — we even rub on each other just a bit, on occasion. But unlike Esau, my son Gabe made a great choice when he married his wife Charise and we’ve been reaping the benefits of that choice over the last week (as well as over the last nine years since they’ve been married). What a blessing it’s been. What a blessing it has been for Kathy and I, Gabe, Charise, and Andrew, and Charise’s parents Terry and Susan to have Jesus in common during this difficult time. We’ve prayed over Andrew together, enjoyed discussions about the LORD together,  and have just appreciated each other in Christ centered fellowship. We’re tremendously blessed by Gabe and Charise’s decision to be equally yoked.

Jesus tells us that we’re to love on people. He also tells us that we’re to be of the world but not in the world. (Matthew 22:39, John 17) Except for a very few of us who might be called to a monastic lifestyle, we’re not to isolate ourselves from people outside of our faith. You can’t love on the people of the world if you’re not engaged with the people of the world.

So we’re to help people, love on people, witness to people who are on life paths that are of the world. You can and should show the LORD’s love to people of the world as their paths come near or intersect with yours.

But, if you’re yoked with someone on a worldly life path, it’s inevitable that you’ll be drug off the LORD’s path at some point. It’s just a matter of time until the yoke that you share will pull you off course, off the path that God has in mind for you and onto a different path, a worldly path.

Jesus said that, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.” (John 15:19) So it’s clear that we’re not of this world. Over the years I’ve observed Christians who attempt to live as a part of the world and they’re life experience is miserable at worst and mediocre at best. You’ll be blessed if you recognize that you do not belong to the world. These aren’t my words but Jesus’.

So even though we’re to love the people of the world, we’re not to yoke ourselves to those of the world. (for those already unequally yoked see 1 Corinthians 7:12-24) Marriage is yoking. Esau yoked himself to wives who were of the world and it grieved Isaac and Rebekah. Yoking yourself to an unbeliever will always cause you grief. Yoking yourself to a believer ultimately results in greater blessings.

I’m watching those blessings unfold right in front of me, right now, here at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Don’t miss out. Paul put it very candidly when he said, Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.

In other words:

Yoke yourself with people who are also of Christ.

Yoke yourself with those who follow Him.

Yoke yourself with others who love Jesus.

If you do you’ll find that God’s spirit will dwell with you and walk among you.

You’ll be blessed.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 

“I will live with them

and walk among them, 

and I will be their God, 

and they will be my people.

2 Corinthians 6:14-16


Genesis 26:34-35

When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.


References:

Bible Gateway

Blue Letter Bible

Matthew Henry

Terry Luttrell

Jon Courson

 1 Comment

 Posted on December 10, 2011 by

 Bible Study, Genesis, Marriage

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Priorities

A few days ago I was asked, “How do I maintain balance between my professional and my personal life?”

The question was asked in the context of promotions. Like most good administrations this person’s leadership rewards those who are actively contributing to the success of the organization. It’s a fact of life in the work world that the higher you go, the greater the commitment.

My favorite way of answering this question is with the story of the full jar and it goes something like this: There was a wise old sage who was once asked by a young man how to prioritize his time. The old man didn’t say a word but brought out a one gallon jar and put large rocks inside of it until they reached all the way to the rim.

“Is the jar full?” he asked the young man.

“Yes it’s full,” the young man replied.

Again without a word the old man scooped up handfuls of gravel and poured them into the jar until the gravel, filling in the void spaces around the large rocks that were already inside, reached the rim.

“How about now?” the old man asked.

“Well, I think it’s full,” the young man said with a pinch of doubt in his voice.

Again without a word the old man scooped up handfuls of sand and poured them into the jar until the sand, filling the left over void spaces between the large rocks and the gravel, filled the jar up to the rim.

“Now it’s full,” the old man said. “You see the large rocks represent your relationship with the LORD, the gravel represents your relationship with your family, and the sand represents your work life. If you fill your jar with the sand first then there will be no room for the large rocks and gravel. If you fill your life with work first, then there will be no room for your family and God.”

The young man nodded slowly.

The old man continued, “Make your relationship with the LORD your first priority, then your family, then work. As long as you keep these priorities in order, you can work as much as you like.”

The only thing I would add to this story is that it’s essential to find time to care for your body also because your body is the temple for the Holy Spirit. Your body doesn’t maintain itself. Living a healthy lifestyle makes you more effective for the LORD. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Beyond that I would also add a few thoughts in order to more completely answer the question, how much of yourself should you give to your employer in order to receive a promotion.

1) If you’re making a decision about a promotion, get into God’s word, go hear the message at church, pray through the issue. Promotions are life changing events, they’re a big deal so pray — I’m talking about seriously intentional prayer here, I’m talking about nose in the carpet kind of praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

2) Only take the promotion if you have the full support of your spouse for we’re to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)

3) The greater your ambition, the greater your passion, the greater your resolve — the greater your success. The question is what will you be ambitious about?

To be truly great you must be full of ambition for the LORD, and for your family, and for your organization, but not for yourself. It’s a paradox that one of the great keys to success is having at your core both passion and humility. The LORD lifts those up who are bowed down. (Traveler and the Chaplain , Psalm 146:8)

If you have a desire to contribute to your employer so you can get promoted then don’t. Don’t go for the promotion. Good organizations are looking to promote people who are on fire to contribute to the success of the organization for the sake of the organization, not for the sake of their own promotion. (Schwarzkopf)

 


Relationship with God first, family second, work third — I’ve watched many who have kept these things in order do well in life. And, sadly, I’ve watched those with whom the order becomes confused and their lives eventually unraveled.

Live for Christ first,

family second,

work third.

You won’t regret it.

…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

 


References:

Bible Gateway

Blue Letter Bible

Traveler and the Chaplain

Norman Schwarzkopf

Jon Courson

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 Posted on December 2, 2011 by

 Bible Commentary, Marriage

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Genesis 16:4-6 You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering

When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

“Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

Genesis 16:4-6


Sarai, feeling anxious about God’s promise not yet coming to fruition, starts in with some drama. She starts with a complaint against God when she says, “The LORD has kept me from having children.” (Genesis 16:2) Sarai decides she needs to take matters into her own hands and offers up her handmaiden Hagar to Abram with the idea that she can build a family through her.

Abram agrees (a mistake on his part by the way, see the previous post on Genesis 16:1-4). Hagar gets pregnant and just as soon as she realizes she’s with child, she cops an attitude, she despises Sarai.

It was her idea in the first place so does Sarai apologize to Abram for pressuring him to take her servant Hagar? No, quite the contrary, Sarai complains to Abram and blames him for his family’s strife. She even brings the Lord into it when she says to him, “May the LORD judge between you and me.” (v.5)

Abram says, basically, what do you want me to do about it? And, “Do with her whatever you think best.” (v.6)

From that point Sarai begins to mistreat Hagar. (v.6)

So Hagar takes the baby and runs. (v.6)

This reads like the script of a chick flick!

With the focus of this chapter mainly on Sarai and Hagar I wanted a woman’s perspective. So I asked my wife Kathy for some insight into Sarai’s behavior in Genesis chapter 16 and received some interesting input:

“I think it’s about women and drama,” Kathy began. “You can just hear Sarai whining to Abram:”

God said that we’d have kids but it’s just not happening. How long has it been? It’s been years since God made you that promise about your descendants. We’re not going to have any descendants if we don’t do something about it! We’re getting older, sooner or later you won’t have what it takes to have kids any more.

“And, she was probably sharing all of these complaints with her handmaidens. You can just imagine Sarai and her handmaidens all emotional and coming up with all these crazy ideas to make something happen,” Kathy said. “One of which was to give her handmaiden to Abram.”

“Why?” I asked. “Why is Sarai stirring up all this drama?”

Kathy: “She has her husband telling her that God promised them all these descendants but she’s not believing. And didn’t she laugh in disbelief when the Angel of the Lord told her she was going to have a son?” (Genesis 18:12)

“Yes,” I answered.

“There you have it,” Kathy said, with an air of finality.

So the root of the drama was Sarai’s unbelief. And as I thought about it, I realized that most of the drama I’ve endured in my own life, and that I’ve observed in the lives of others, has stemmed from an unbelief in God’s word.

Quite often this has been because either I myself or the other people involved aren’t spending time in God’s word, or in church, or both to begin with. When I’m not hearing God’s word I’m not giving myself the opportunity to believe God’s word and I lose trust in God’s plan for my future.

When I’m spending time in God’s word and in church I tend to rest in His plan for my future. I tend to live with the attitude that all things God works for the good of those who love him.” (Romans 8:28)

Romans 10:17 says that “…faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (KJV)

The bottom line is that you and I will find the emotional drama in our live’s to be inversely proportional to the amount of time we’re spending in God’s word.

So spend time with Him.

Read His word daily.

Pray to Him, converse with Him.

Go to church. For…

…he that believeth shall not make haste. 

(Isaiah 28:16 KJV)

Or as the New Living Translation says,

Whoever believes need never be shaken.


“You know, as a man, if I post these thoughts concerning Sarai’s behavior, I could come under some heavy criticism,” I commented to Kathy.

“Yes, I guess you could.”

“What do you think about the idea of me quoting you?”

“Go for it,” Kathy said.

If this doesn’t work out — I sure hope I don’t get blamed for it.


References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

Matthew Henry

Jon Courson


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 Posted on July 9, 2011 by

 Bible Study, Genesis, Marriage

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Genesis 16:1-4 “Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

Genesis 16:1-4

Human beings will let you down every time.

It doesn’t matter who you choose to look to: Brett Favre, or Miley Cyrus, or your husband, or your wife, or your father, or your boss, or your pastor, or your best friend — you’re in for a disappointment.

Last post we looked at Abram’s amazing encounter with God and we spent quite a bit of time exploring the excellent things Abram did with his life that resulted in his receiving God’s best. Abram went where God was, he sacrificed things of value, he waited on the Lord, and he drove away the birds of prey. (see To your descendants I give this land)

Now, here, in Genesis chapter 16, we see Abram’s humanity.

Abram’s 86 and Sarai’s 76. As is nearly always the case, there’s a gap of time between when God gave His promise and the fulfillment of that promise. Thirteen years in this case. Sarai was tired of waiting on the Lord for the promised fruit from her womb. For a barren woman to give a maidservant to her husband in order to have children on her behalf was a common custom in Abram’s time. So Sarai says to Abram, “Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” (v. 2)

Yes it was accepted in society at that time.

Yes it was Abram’s own wife, Sarai, who was admonishing Abram to do this.

Yes it seemed as though this was the only way Abram and Sarai would see any fruit, any family, any children, any descendants.

But in spite of these seemingly compelling circumstances, Abram ought not to have done it. He had a choice and he chose to agree with Sarai. (v. 2) Abram was the leader of his family and part of being the leader is doing what’s best in God’s sight, even when society offers an easy way out. Even when others are telling you to do otherwise. Even if it’s your wife who is doing the telling.

Parenthetically, on the topic of sex outside of marriage, I know of men today who feel that they have valid reasons for engaging in extramarital sex. “Yea but I’m not getting my needs met at home.” or “Yea but this way I don’t have to bother her.” or even one guy I knew who said, “Yea but my wife and I have an arrangement.”

Doesn’t matter. God would have you do the right thing according to His word, whatever your circumstances.

Abram fell. And as we’ll see, this caused heartache, strife, and trouble for Abram, Abram’s family, and Abram’s descendants. In fact Abram’s decision to take Hagar is being felt by Abram’s descendants even today.

Abram provided a great example for us to follow in Genesis chapter 15, but we can’t look to Abram as our complete model of how to live life. We have only to turn the page over to chapter 16 and Abram falls. Like any other person, Abram will let you down every time.

Roger Federer’s one of my favorite athletes. He’s considered by most to be the greatest tennis player who ever lived. In grand slam tournaments, when Roger’s up two sets to zero, his match record is an incredible 178 and 0. That is until last week. Last week he was up two sets to zero, in a grand slam tournament, against a player with a double digit ranking named Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Roger Federer lost.

Only one Person won’t let you down. That person is Jesus Christ.

Look to Him.

God is love. Love never fails.

1 John 4:8 and 1 Corinthians 13:8

References:

Associated Press

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

Jon Courson

 1 Comment

 Posted on July 2, 2011 by

 Bible Study, Genesis, Marriage

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Genesis 13:1-9 If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.

Original photo courtesy of RomansNewsletter.Blogspot.com

So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.

Now Lot, who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together. And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.

So Abram said to Lot, “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”

Genesis 13:1-9

Most people don’t recognize it but what we’re seeing here is one of Abram’s greatest moments! As the elder man and as Lot’s uncle, Abram could have had his own way in this matter. But he showed Lot grace and allowed him to choose his own way. Perhaps this was in response to the grace recently shown to Abram by God in Genesis chapter 12. In chapter 12 we saw that Abram lied and put his wife Sarai in a terrible and vulnerable position yet the Lord spared Sarai and Abram and sent them away with riches. (see previous post Genesis 12:10-20)

Abram allowed Lot to have it his way.

How often does this moment of truth happen upon you and me?

In the car with family I want to take the route that I think is the best.

When we’re going to a movie I want to see the one I think is best.

When we’re deciding where to vacation I want to go to the destination I think is best.

We need to do it my way!

My way is the right way!

My way is the best way!

Why can’t people see that — it’s so obvious.

But wait just a minute. Let’s take a closer look at these examples. What actually happens if we take a slower route in the car? What actually happens if we arrive two minutes later? What damage is actually done if we see a chick flick? What if we vacation in some other nice place? What problem has been caused by these outcomes? I mean really, does it make a difference that’s significant or important in any way whatsoever? Most of the time, getting your own way isn’t nearly as big a deal as it seems.

So why do we think, feel, and behave this way?

When I was younger I played some amateur competitive tennis. Oh, how I wanted to make it as a pro. Several people close to me believed that there were better paths for me to follow. I didn’t give much consideration to their wise words. I didn’t give much consideration to the path that the Lord wanted me to walk in life either. I practiced. I worked hard. I disciplined myself. I studied books on tennis technique and strategy.

I prayed for God to do it my way.

“Please Lord, help me to win this tournament.”

“Please Lord help me to get a college scholarship.”

“Lord, that other guy isn’t even a Christian, why are you allowing him to be successful? That doesn’t make sense. Lord, You’re allowing him to enjoy success and accolades while You’re allowing me to flounder! Why?

Looking back I can see now that this was my flesh speaking loud and clear. Our flesh is the reason we think, feel, and behave this way.

Ironically, today I have many friends who have been successful in tournaments. I have quite a a number of friends and acquaintances who have gone to NCAA Division 1 schools on tennis scholarships. But as it turns out, the chance of becoming a successful professional tennis player is somewhere around 1 in 13 million! Most of those guys are teaching tennis for a living. For those of you who have never tried it, that means they spend all day at work pushing tennis balls at little old ladies and at young kids that are only there because their parents make them take tennis lessons. The few rest of these that I know who aren’t teaching tennis are struggling to figure out what they want to do for a living.

I thank God I didn’t get my way. Had things gone my way I would never have entered into the fire service. My thirty years in the fire service has been a tremendous blessing. I wouldn’t trade it for a career in tennis for anything.

Getting our way. It’s interesting to me that in our culture today, getting one’s own way is associated with wealth. Yet here we have Abram, who had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold (v.2), allowing Lot to have it his way. I do believe that God sometimes bestows wealth on people who show grace to others–I’ve seen that happen repeatedly. But even if you don’t receive wealth here on earth, think of the treasure you’ll receive in heaven! (Matthew 6:20 — see previous post) Jesus told his disciples, “…he that is greatest among you let him be as the younger…” (Luke 22:26) And that is precisely what Abraham did with Lot.

Remember back in Genesis chapter 12 when Abram lied to the Egyptians and allowed his wife to be put at risk in Pharaoh’s harem? God showed Abraham incredible grace and mercy by sparing Sarah and Abraham and even enriching them in the process. In the very next chapter we see Abram showing grace to Lot. Remember the grace that’s been shown to you. “…my blood which is shed for you,” Jesus said. He spilled his blood for you, he died for you. In spite of what you’ve done, God, in His grace and mercy, has provided a way for you to enter into heaven.

So show grace to people even as God has shown grace to you by sending His only Son to die on your behalf.

Getting your own way is usually less important than you think. And most importantly, showing grace to others as Abram did to Lot is the way God desires for you.

Love…does not insist on its own way

1 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)

References:

Why Grace Changes Everything by Chuck Smith

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 Posted on April 17, 2011 by

 Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis, Marriage

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Marriage, and Mom and Dad: Genesis 2:24-25

Marriage, Mother and Father -- two one fleshFor this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. -Genesis 2:24-25

Cleaving Without Leaving

Many young people today are attempting the first part of Genesis 2:24, becoming one flesh, but leaving out the second part of the verse, leaving their father and mother. I believe many marriages suffer unnecessarily, or even fail, because without the second part, leaving father and mother, the first part, becoming one flesh, doesn’t work very well. Independence from mom and dad is a huge key to a healthy marriage. A husband and wife must form a team of three: the husband, the wife, and their God. When a dad and/or mom is involved it becomes a team of 4 or 5. Or if both sets of parents are involved, a team of seven! God’s way is the best way, and it’s up to us as parents to allow our kids to separate, to leave. Because if they don’t leave, emotionally as well as physically, then they won’t cleave. The parents I see who fall into the trap of over involvement are the same parents who cause problems in the marriages of their kids and in their kids relationship with Jesus too. Too much involvement in our adult kids’ marriages makes things worse instead of better. Young married people, especially you husbands, insist on independence. Guard your marriage from your parent’s over involvement, in a loving and gracious manner, but with tenacity. For you to be successful in your marriage your spouse must come before your parents, and your God must come before your spouse.

Just Friends

And in case you’ve already successfully left your parents, be sure to leave others as well. Friendship with those of the opposite sex, the kind of friendship that involves time alone together, even small amounts of time alone together, is nearly always found at the beginning of an adulterous relationship. Don’t do it. Don’t invest in that relationship at work or at the gym, even if you don’t feel an attraction. As you invest your heart will inevitably follow as Jesus said in Luke 12:34. And as God says to us in Proverbs 6:27-28, Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?

Jesus on Divorce

Jesus quoted from Genesis 2:24 when the Pharisees came to trap Him with a question. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” (Matthew 19:3) They probably thought, “If we can get Jesus to say that divorce is not permitted, not God’s will, then we can quote the law of Moses and, BOOM, the trap is shut, we’ve got him.” But Jesus went back to the beginning, to God’s original plan for marriage, before the law was given to Moses. Jesus from Genesis 2:24,

“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6)

Perhaps at this point the Pharisees, realizing that they’d been out maneuvered, asked the following question, as a last ditch effort to salvage their trap…

“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” (Matthew 19:7)

But Jesus replied,

“Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:8-9)

Divorce Reality Check

Today we’ve seen a rather large cultural shift from divorce being such a negative to a new perception of divorce as a liberating, freeing, positive experience. A single parent household, a man and woman living together unmarried perhaps with children, these are seen as acceptable alternative lifestyles. What’s being completely ignored is the well being of the children of divorce. The vast majority of children from divorced families surveyed say they’d like to see their original family back together. Have you heard that statistic before? Probably not. Five years after divorce more than a third of children experienced depression. Even at 10 years and 15 years after divorce, many of the children involved had significant problems. Children from divorced families were found to be less successful in life than children from intact families, particularly in the areas of relationships and careers.

Most of the time the custody of the children goes to the mother. What’s not a part of the public discussion is that about half of all single mothers live below the poverty line. And this desperate economic circumstance is not for the short haul — on average it lasts for six years after a divorce. For African American single mothers it’s much worse, 10 years after divorce only 33% of African American mothers were remarried, the rest continued in financial distress. (McLanahan-Garfinkel)

So don’t close your eyes to the devastation caused by divorce. Build your marriage on the foundation of Jesus Christ and His word. Invest in your wife, invest in your husband and your heart will follow. Follow His ways, in life, and in your marriage.

Sex a Gift from God

Finally notice in Genesis 2:25 that God provided that The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. God very specifically tells us in Hebrews 13:4 that His plan for the marriage bed is for it to be undefiled. Sex inside of marriage is a gift from Him, and shame has no part in it. When you invest in your wife, when you invest in your husband, do so in all areas including your physical relationship. For God tells us in 1 Corinthians 7:4-5

The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.



References:

[Image via: Maria Rosaria – Creative Commons]

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

Jon Courson

The Atlantic

Single Mothers and Their Children, Sarah McLanahan and Irwin Garfinkel, 1986

 13 Comments

 Posted on September 11, 2010 by

 Bible Commentary, Bible Study, Genesis, Marriage

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Genesis 2:19-23 — But for Adam no suitable helper was found. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man.

Adam and Eve

Catacombs of Saints Marcellinus and Peter (first half fourth century)

Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

Genesis 2:21-22

Notice that Adam didn’t settle for less than what God had in mind for him. As the animals were brought before him to name, Adam obediently named each creature but, because for Adam no suitable helper was found (Genesis 2:20) Adam didn’t take any of God’s creatures to be his help meet. Today it seems men and women try to find their future mate in the energy of their flesh — visiting bars, clubs, or subscribing to an online dating service. The results are usually dismal. Many of these who marry find themselves heartbroken later. If your single, make your requests known unto the Lord, during this single season of your life, with thanksgiving. (Phillipians 4:6-7) Don’t settle. As Matthew Henry said, “If we graciously rest in God, God will graciously work for us and work all for good.”

Men should take notice that while the man was created from the dust of the earth, the woman was created from the rib of the man. (Genesis 2:21-22) The woman is double refined and the very last of God’s creations on earth. Could it be that God saved the very best for last? While Adam is the first creature to be created in God’s image and the leader or the head, one could say that the woman is the crown that is to be worn upon the head.

Women should take notice that the man, while assigned to be the head, will never be everything you want him to be. As my pastor says, “A rib was taken from Adam and men have been missing something ever since!” The only man that will never let you down is the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Give your man a break, don’t put an expectation on him to fulfill your every need because he can’t. Put your hope in Jesus. The first Adam was commanded by God to name the animals, the last Adam was named “Jesus” when Joseph was commanded by God to do so in Matthew 1:21. The Hebrew form of the name Jesus is Yeshua which is a contraction of the Hebrew name Yahwehshua which means “Yahweh is salvation.” Your husband can’t completely satisfy or save you but Jesus can. Put your hope in Him.

Jesus said

“I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35) “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40)



[Image: Catacombs of Saints Marcellinus and Peter (first half fourth century) by jimforest – Creative Commons]

References:

Blue Letter Bible

Bible Gateway

Matthew Henry

Jon Courson

Chuck Smith, Living Water, p. 38, Word for Today, 2007

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 Posted on September 4, 2010 by

 Bible Study, Genesis, Marriage

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