[We're going all the way back to the creation story in Genesis 2 today. If you have time, you can read verses 2:4-3:1 for context. For the sake of reading time here, I'm not including the verses in this post.]
God created us as relational beings and whether we are extroverts, introverts or somewhere in between, we all need meaningful relationships. When someone is starved of interaction with other human beings for a long period of time, the result is never a positive one. The Tom Hanks movie Cast Away just came to mind - and the ball he named Wilson to keep him company on that deserted island. Such an emotional movie! I often dreamed of being stuck on a Caribbean island alone when my children were little, but I always knew that once the sun set I’d be reevaluating my need for peace and quiet! 😉
God designed everything He created to function perfectly together. The relationship between the Creator and His creation was flawless. God desired to provide for Adam so completely that He planted a special garden for Him to live in that held everything he would need. God even knew that Adam would need something to occupy his time and intellect, so God gave him the responsibilities of working the garden and taking care of the animals He placed under his care.
As Adam interacted with and named all the animals, it became clear that none of them provided the level of companionship that Adam needed. In fact, for the first time in the creation account, God said something was not good. “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Then God created Eve, the perfect helpmate and companion for Adam.
What Adam lacked, Eve supplied. What Eve lacked, Adam supplied. They complimented one another perfectly, in every way - and their relationship with their Creator was also perfect in every way. It’s difficult for us to really wrap our minds around the idea of perfection in a relationship, because we have no idea what that would look or feel like. Due to life in this fallen world and our sin nature, all relationships entail some level of conflict, no matter how much we love the other person.
When I was young, I always wondered why God felt the need to include the fact that “the man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” I now understand that this is a beautiful picture of their sinlessness. Where there is no sin, there is no shame. They lived in an environment free from comparisons. They were at total ease with one another, without any fear of rejection or potential for evil. Those things simply didn’t exist.
The goodness of God’s creation before the fall is what He desired for mankind - for you and I. Despite sin and it’s consequences, despite all we have ever done or will ever do to sin against Him, God still loves us and wants to provide for our needs and bless us with healthy relationships - just as He did for Adam and Eve. Unfortunately, ever since Satan asked, “Did God really say?" humanity has been questioning God’s goodness. We doubt God and choose to do things our own way, just as Adam and Eve did. That sin causes conflict in our relationship with God which trickles down into all other relationships.
Even though Jesus was sinless, he still dealt with conflict in His earthly relationships and interactions due to the sin brought to the table by the other person or people. The only perfect relationship He had was with God, His Father - until our sins were placed on Him that day at Calvary. He knew both the weight of every sin and separation from His Father for the first time. I don’t think we can begin to imagine the magnitude of all Jesus experienced at that moment.
God loves you and I so much that He sent His Son to be the spotless sacrifice for our sin, to reconcile us to Himself, so that we can choose to live in fellowship with our Creator again. Our relationship with Jesus Christ is the lifeblood to all relationships. He is the one who brings peace and healing to the conflict and chaos that sin creates. It's only found in perfect love, unhindered.
I hope you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and know what it's like to have new life in Him - and to experience that sweet fellowship with your Creator! If not, I hope you will send me a message or reach out to me through the website contact page. I'd love to share with you about how you can begin the most life changing relationship you will ever know!
"And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.God is able to bless ME abundantly, so that in all things and at all times, I will have all that I need and will abound in every good work!” 2 Cor 9:8 CSB
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