Devotional: A Great Mystery

A Great Mystery

"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 2:23).

I'm going to make a statement that will, at first, sound a bit shocking, but stay with me on this line of thinking. Before Eve, Adam (or man) contained all the attributes of humanity, both the feminine and the masculine. Is this not true? "The Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 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. 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.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Genesis 2:18-24).

When a helper, comparable to Adam, was not found among the animals, God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and then opened him up and removed one of his ribs. God then took this rib and used it to create someone who would compliment Adam. This is not how Adam was formed. "The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (Genesis 2:7). God could have easily created "Woman" the same way He created Man, but He didn't. Therefore, we can conclude that before the creation of woman, man carried all the attributes, all the characteristics, all the personalities, all the gifts and abilities of both.
This is important to know because marriages are under attack! Too often, you will hear people say, "We are just so different." In fact, it is my understanding that the number one cause listed on divorce papers is "irreconcilable differences." All that means is that the two parties were incapable of being brought into harmony or adjustment. What a lie from the devil!! No one is "incapable" of such things; they either just don't know the truth or they refuse. Let me explain it this way: if woman was created out of man, and man once contained everything for both of them, then woman is simply (like the scriptures state) a COMPLIMENT to the man... kind of like a puzzle. So, of course, there are going to be differences.

Have you ever watched a child work a puzzle? I have and one thing I have noticed many times, is that children get frustrated too quick and quit. I have seen them hold the exact right piece in their hands, but because they had it turned the wrong way, it wouldn't fit. So, they throw it down, try another piece or just give up all together and leave mad.

Does this sound like any relationships you know? When a man and woman get married, God has the unique ability to make them fit perfectly together. Sure, it may feel like "apples and oranges" (like we say at my house alot), but those are just communication skills. The problem is that people get themselves turned wrong in the relationship through wrong (or too high) expectations, differing opinions on everything from raising kids to how they should spend their money, etc. So, unfortunately, many bail out thinking they just need another "piece" or they leave so mad that they become bitter and never heal correctly.

Notice that God said He would make a helper comparable to man. He did not say He would make a helper "equal" to man. God put man in the garden to tend and keep it. A helper would be someone who gives assistance. You see, the head of house is a yoke to the woman but a mantle to the man. In my own life, I have wrestled with being the leader because I have strong personality traits that lean that way. But just because they're strong, doesn't mean they are always right. My biggest strength can also be my biggest weakness, depending on which arena I'm in. For example, whereas in one arena I may be called upon to lead (that would be good), in another arena, my personality could just take charge because of a lack of leadership (but that's not always good). I have to know my place.

You see, man and woman together make a whole. It's just a matter of getting ourselves turned properly so that our strengths fill in their weaknesses and their strengths fill in ours. Paul quoted Genesis to the Ephesians and then gave an explanation when he said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of how Christ and the church are one" (Ephesians 5:31-32). We seem to have no problem understanding that Christ is the head and we are the Body. And because of such, we understand that the Head leads and the Body follows, and that the two cannot be separated. If you ever separate the head from the body, death is the result. Right? The same is true for man and woman in marriage. This is the great mystery... the two become one, just the same as a puzzle is complete when the pieces are put in their proper place.

When the scriptures instruct wives to submit to their husbands, it actually means to subject and adapt yourself to them. This is good, not bad. In other words, God has given the woman the ability to do this, whereas the man is not as capable. We have mistakenly called this stubbornness at times (and sometimes it really is) but as a whole, the woman has the ability to bring things into harmony and adjustment much easier than the man. This is why Peter said, "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word {from you}, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear {and respect for God}" (1 Peter 3:1-2). In other words, "Wives, adapt and yeild yourselves (with reason) to your husbands and if your husband is the one in the wrong, God will use your reverent lifestyle to win them over without YOU ever having to say a thing to them!" (The men all say "Yeah!" and the women all say "What a relief!")

Just remember this: man was created in the image of God, therefore when woman was taken out of man, both had the qualities of their Creator. Therefore, when pieced back together properly (submitted unto God), the result is a beautiful masterpiece.