Shaina at Biblical Homemaking is hosting a discussion on the book Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl.
God tells us in His Word that He created man and woman, and that He Himself joined them in marriage in the paradise that He created our world to be. Before they ever fell from grace by their disobedience, He brought them together in a pure and beautiful union. In that perfect environment, God designed woman to be man's ideal assistant.
I have wondered what exactly Eve was supposed to help Adam do, and I found the answer in noticing the tasks that God gave Adam before the fall of man. First, man was supposed to rule the earth (Genesis 1:26-28), he was supposed to "multiply and replenish the earth" (Genesis 1:28), and he was supposed to eat of all the plants except the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17).
Later God led Solomon to write these beautiful and comforting words:
He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the LORD.
When God leads a woman into marriage, He is showing a man His favor! Practically, that means that I am a specially designed gift to my husband! While that is a beautiful thought, it brings with it a tremendous responsibility! I am responsible to God for being the gift He intended for me to be to my husband. As Debi said in the heading for chapter one, "A wise woman doesn't take anything for granted. She is thankful to be loved and seeks to make herself more lovely."
That is sobering, but I don't have to do it on my own! He will help me to grow to be more and more what He designed me to be!
So putting this together, I try to see how I can fulfill His design for my husband and our union in our present world that is far from paradise. In the same way He gave Adam a responsibility to fulfill his vocation, a responsibility to father, and a responsibility to obey God; He has given my husband these responsibilities.
As Mark's perfect, God-given helper, I want to do all I can to support him in the vocation God has given him. I want to help him raise children. And I want to encourage him to obey God in all things.
Oh, how I desire for my marriage to be as nearly like that union in paradise that God originally intended for marriage to be!
change
-
change is weird.
and usually uncomfortable.
but it can be exciting too!
for quite a while I have been feeling the need
to stretch my artistic wings,
to sepa...
10 years ago
3 comments:
Awesome! Such powerful words! I may join this group!
Thanks for the beautiful words and soft reminders of how I came to be my husband's wife. Your words are truly thoughtful and comforting. God bless.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your sweet and kind words. Every comment has helped me in one way or another and yours was no different. I must admit that I am experiencing a monthly imbalance, hee hee. But, in the book I'm reading by Martha Peace, she says to not let that be an excuse to not be the wife that He wants you to be. I'm really working on this, and just felt the need to express my frustrations because it is hard.
Thanks again, sweetie. :)
Your sister in Christ,
Jennifer
Post a Comment