Love cannot be defined through words, for where it is made alive, it becomes boundless through the relationship it creates. Therein are the facture structures of love, and herein we find compassion, faithfulness, and trust. These and more are governed by a covenant.
Human love is God’s best gift to man, F. B. Meyer once wrote. Indeed, he was right, but that which is given, must first be received. How shall they receive, if they reject the giver?
Such is the world of today, loveless, but filled with skepticism. However, the absence of love isn’t always the expression of lovelessness, or heartless. The need thereof is the position to receive.
As it was in the beginning . . . The LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. (Genesis 2:18)
Man needed something that he could not have. Within him was the presence of what he needed, though it was present, but he had no means to bring it to pass. But with God, He gives unto man what he always needed, and the beauty lies in the fact that God did not go asunder to bring about the needs of man, but within the man, God brought forth what he always needed. God knows of our needs, and it cannot be brought forth without His intervention. So it was with the first man, God brought forth all his needs, and more than he could imagine in his brilliant mind. When he saw the female, she was like him in many ways, but better than he would have ever hoped for.
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; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 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. (Genesis 2:21-23)
As help meet, every aspect of her was perfectly tuned to accommodate him, and in the grand picture, they were made perfectly for the accommodation of each other. Suitable, neither one was superior to the other, nor inferior, but intellectually, morally, and physically as a counterpart.
Emotional, physical and spiritual attributes.
From their emotional indifference, came harmony, their two indifference, balance out their indifference as one for their well-being.
From the physical attribute, she stands next to him, and the body of the woman conforms to the man, better than a puzzle would, in the firmness of his male exterior, the gentleness of her female body provides all that he lacks.
Their height proportions, he would look down upon her, being next to him. Without the motive of superiority, but with the humbling appreciation to God and his love for her, knowing she is from him and she is one with him. Likewise, she would look up to him, not as her God, but with the need to be always close to him, knowing she is from him and she belongs to him. Without him she wouldn’t be. The more she sees such bond and love for the man, the more she glories God in her being for making it possible.
Here lies the true love that is missing in today’s world, the illustration demonstrates, when true love is expressed, its ultimate expression is wrapped in the glory of God. As the man appreciates the woman, which is from him, he is thankful to God. As the woman rejoices knowing the man can only love her as he loves himself, for she is from him and one with him. Knowing where she is from, she is pleased to know he sees her as one with himself, in this, she glories God in her being for such a union.
True love is trust and gratitude. First toward God, and toward one another, male and female as one flesh. Though the power of procreation is in the man. Nevertheless, the man in himself cannot bring it to pass. He must trust God, this is the lesson, we cannot realize what is within us to be brought forth until we trust in God.
To such account, here is the scene. The setting is Eden, the theme is, man not knowing what he really needs, but he is aware he is missing something that he needs. Never has he seen a woman, yet he reigns over God’s creation alone, and the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. Before the man experience love, he must first trust God, thus we read and God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. When we sleep, we surrender our will and the awareness of who we are. Consequently, we cannot sleep in the presence of a stranger we do not trust, but the man slept in the presence of God, it shows he trusts in God.
Before our unknown needs are brought forth, we must learn to surrender who we are to the Lord. Then out of our deepest desire, shall come into fruition that which we need. And God took one of his (the man) ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
The uniqueness of the woman is 1 out of the whole. For there are 206 bones in the human body, the rib is the only bone capable of regrowing itself when removed or damage. Within this particular bone is the marrow, which is capable to infuse other bones in replenishing and healing, as well as the replenishing of the body organs.
Though the rib is not as strong as the other bones in the body, yet its precise placement serves as the protector of vital body organs. Such is the female to the male, and society.
As the beginning of love is illustrated, the man must trust in God to bring forth that which is needed in a relationship. Likewise, the woman must be grateful to God in all things for who she is.
This is the foundation of the male and female relationship. Without which the man relies on his willpower rather than God to bring about his wants rather than his needs, in so doing he becomes a savage.
Likewise, the woman, without an appreciation of who she is by the grace of God, she becomes a fool in competing with the man, to be an equal to the man, she acts like the man while forsaking the very essence of her beauty. Therein she finds no rest or peace, but hate and anger. So then, in a relationship, is the man better than the woman? Certainly not. Nevertheless, the number “1” is always first before the number “2”, however, two is greater than one, but without "1", the greatness of "2" cannot be seen.
When numerical values work together in a mathematical equation, bridges are built, buildings are erected and Civilizations flourish.
Correspondingly, when God is the focus in a relationship, the man and woman work together, not to compete, but trust and gratitude for what they are. If the relationship is yet to be established, trust and gratitude are the foundation thereof.
In closing, we ask these words of F. B. Meyer. What is power without love, or a throne without a consort? Eve was, therefore, given to crown his bliss; taken from his side, as afterward the Church from the opened side of Christ.
So then, can power be obtained to enjoy without love? Such is a villain, or what is the royalty of a throne without a companion? So, as the female is the precious crown for the happiness of the relationship, the Lord is the Architect and the giver of all.
How shall they receive, if they reject the giver?
Today the word love is merely a temporal expression to desire the experience of pleasure, rather than a tender compassion devoted to the well-being of someone. Not only for the present, but for the future as well. Without which, the perilous amongst the people and society are many. The demise of a loveless nation is imminent. As it was with Rome, under Emperor Claudius II, who banned the traditional marriage, in hope to build a better military.
Without true love among the people, with God as its focus, the human mind will wander astray with the intention of filling the gap and correcting the confusion of the mind, but to no avail. Nevertheless, there are those who stand up for what is right, despite political correctness, such were Saint Valentine. Choosing morality above Political correctness, Saint Valentine went on marrying soldiers to their brides, while denying the worship of pagan gods, which led to his Incarceration.
History records his jailer as Asterius, he asked Saint Valentine to pray for his blind daughter while he awaits his execution. Her healing led to Asterius’ conversion. His letter to the jailer’s daughter was signed, from your Valentine, before his death on February 14, 269 AD. Which is now celebrated as Valentine’s day.
The lesson here is not to celebrate a man, but when an individual desire to stand for God, the impact is everlasting. If a man and a woman learn to establish their love based on God, the impact of their relationship will be everlasting . . . But Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
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🎨PSW·3✒©
Related topic, Woman, the forgotten art of being a woman
Interesting how most things have their beginning from Christianity.
Amen @Pink and @Karen