The Lord God said,
“It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Genesis 2:18
God created the rest of the world and then saved man, the crown of His creation, for last. Next we see that God will bless Adam with a helpmate. Reading verse 18 leads us to hold our breath in anticipation. If this were a fairytale, it would be the moment when the beautiful princess enters the ballroom and Prince Charming lays eyes on her for the first time…
Our eyes eagerly move to verse 19 to see the scene unfold and we behold…Adam naming the animals..? Were two pages stuck together? Did I inadvertently skip a few verses? When virtually all of Chapter 2 is devoted to Adam and Eve (my Bible even gives it that heading), why does God suddenly interject this bit about Adam’s assignment to name the animals?
As each animal came, Adam’s sense of aloneness was heightened. God used the naming of the animals to create a desire for a mate in Adam. Perhaps if God had given Eve too quickly, Adam would not have appreciated or valued her. (Sometimes we make that mistake with our children – giving them a toy or bicycle without allowing them time to dream about it, want it, wait for it–maybe even to save for it and earn it.)
Perhaps all that waiting not only created a longing for a mate, but also had Adam ready to embrace his new mate (spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, and physically) as suitable.
If you are a mom like me, you have been praying since your children were born for that suitable mate for each of them. On December 29, 2012, those prayers for our firstborn were answered as Tori Layne Barnes became Mrs. Kyle Macfarlan. She is an extraordinary woman of God. She is suitable and then some. God has answered exceedingly and abundantly more than I could ask or imagine for our son. They complement each other so well. They share a passion for God. They are both equipped with sharp minds that will challenge each other to deep thinking. On top of it all, I’ll be blessed with beautiful grandchildren one day – as (in this mama’s very biased opinion), they are a handsome couple inside and out.
Young love inspires old love. Attending a wedding ceremony is an opportunity to renew vows if you are married or pray for the marriages of those you hold dear if you are not.
Lord, am I suitable for Kevin? Am I an effective and loving helpmate? Show me how to love him better today. And, Lord, please continue to bless Kyle and Tori during these foundational weeks of their marriage. Thank you for bringing them together. I pray blessing over their lives and their marriage –may they always live to bring You glory!
