““So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.””
Did you notice that God put Adam to sleep? Maybe God’s trying to tell someone, “I need you to be at rest, while I take the initiative to give you the spouse you need.” Adam was asleep while God was preparing his wife for him. There would be no contribution, on Adam’s part, to her creation or design. She was to be a gift of grace, unmerited favor. No, “God I think she needs to look like this. Or God he needs to sound like this or have these qualities.” God already knows what Adam wants. He knows what he needs. If anything we need to go to God to find out what He wants for us in a spouse and not the other way around! You see, if you want to experience the mission of marriage, you've got to learn how to...
Let God Prepare and Bring Them.
It’s like being in a crowd full of people. And in this crowd are many possibilities for a husband or a wife. But every time we try to make it happen ourselves, in our own strength, with our own limited wisdom and short sightedness, we mess it up. And then we wonder why we keep carrying emotional baggage from one relationship into the next. However, if you’re in this crowd that potentially has your spouse in it and you lift your eyes up toward God, He has a funny way of taking that person, who also has their eyes lifted up and focused on Him, and causing you to bump into to each other. I know this from personal experience. In my past, every time I tried to start a relationship in my own way it never worked out. Then after a really bad break up I had with the girl I thought was “the one”, which left me in need of emotional recovery, I surrender dating over to God completely. I choose to pour into my relationship with Him and serving Him in different ministries and my profession. It was only then that God chose to bring Deedre into my life about a year and a half latter.
God formed the woman, therefore the first Person she knew was God. She had a relationship with God and was complete in Him before she met Adam. Also, she was prepared and brought to Adam in the same environment he served in. It’s ok to be in the environment where your potential spouse may be. It’s ok to keep your eyes open, while your serving, but make sure it’s God bringing them! The Bible says that God brought her to the man! Ask yourself the question, “What is my evidence that God brought them into my life?”
First and foremost, the person God prepares and brings to you has a consistent, fruit-bearing relationship with Jesus. You can’t go of off their potential to know and love Jesus and His truth. You need to see consistent evidence that they already have a relationship with Jesus. Eve knew the LORD before she knew Adam! Secondly, God prepared Eve and brought her to Adam in the environment where he worshiped and served God. And when it comes to dating, if your not doing it with intent to marry, why are you in the relationship. Dating around and jumping from one relationship to the other, just to have a girlfriend or a boyfriend and not with intent to find a husband or a wife is not a concept I see supported in scripture. If there’s no spouse potential, why are you with them? This is where praying and seeking godly counsel is very important. I love it when a couple seeks pre-engagement counseling. Before they spend any money, by a ring or set a date. It tells me their serious about this thing. They want to know if God prepared and sent them.
And since God brought Eve to Adam, He personally performed the first wedding. Let’s now see if we can find in Adam & Eve’s experience some ingredients for a successful marriage starting in verse 23…
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