Tuesday, February 13, 2001

 

 Dear Family:

 

 Tomorrow is that special day we call sweethearts or Valentines Day. We will be asking cupid to load his bow and fire that arrow once again into the heart of that special one. All you newly weds (within 10 years) have received my courtship message. Someone has said the 7th year of marriage is the toughest year. Sounds possible but I'm not sure it is supported with much study. STUCK ON YOU does have merit and is supported with much study.

You will remember how God created the women and brought her to the man to be his help meet. You remember the lengthy definition of helpmeet. Well let's look at those verses again.

Gen 2:18-25 18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam 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 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (KJV)

God brought all the animals to Adam to see what he would name them. This was the first test of man. God was obviously pleased for not only do we still acknowledge the names he gave them, but we also notice God blessed Adam with a help meet. Notice the reasons that God gives for bringing the woman to the man. The answer is in verse one, " it is not good that man should be alone". Man needed a companion. The number one reason for God bringing woman to man is not to populate the world, not be a servant and not a lover. It was and is for companionship. (One that accompanies another, comrade, associate.) Notice in verse 24 God said "and they shall be one flesh". You can't get much closer than that. That 's something like Siamese twins. Notice 24 again. "And shall cleave unto his wife". Cleave (to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly, Syn see stick.) You are stuck on each other -- not to be confused with the cliche (stuck with). God intended man and woman to be together as loyal companions. Stuck on one another. Since God is the designer of love and marriage, man and woman, doesn't it make sense that He would know how to make the two compatible?

Although I don't see compatible in the verses and I don't think God erred when he made them and put them together. I think man and woman err when they seek to go their own way, do their own thing, without considering how it affects the other. Stop and think for a moment. If you were Siamese twins wouldn't there have to be some consideration of the other in everything done. Well, I think God gave man and woman credit to know how to run a 3 legged race. I dare say one can't win and the other lose. You do what you do together. It is necessary that the wife know the husband is going to be there for companionship for the long haul and the husband needs to have the same assurance. Without this assurance how can each of them concentrate on the important things of becoming compatible and helping with the common goals? God never meant for husbands and wives to go it alone. He meant for them to be stuck on one another. It seems that husbands and wives get into the rut of fault finding rather than searching for the gems they saw in one another when the courtship started. The marriage wins when each member wins the heart of the other member every single day.

 Love Ya, Dad