Walking With Christ

Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”(ESV)

Today, I want to talk about my wife. Yes, I know this will totally embarrass her, but it needs to be said. Some of this has been covered in messages before this one, and some of this will be completely new.

It is not good that man should be alone. This wasn’t just talking about Adam. No, this was speaking about the entirety of human kind. We are not meant to be alone. That doesn’t mean we should accept or tolerate any kind of abuse just to avoid being alone, but it does speak to one of the core parts of being human. We were created with a desire, no a need, for companionship. It is good that we are alone for a time so that we can find the companion meant for us.

The original Hebrew word for helper is ezer. This word is most often used by God in reference to Himself as the divine helper of mankind. In nearly every instance where the word is used there is a connotation or undertone of the divine associated with the help described. In those cases where it’s possible that the help isn’t specifically divine, the line usually gets blurred because the appointed helper was most likely only able to help or aware that their help was needed because of divine assistance and provision.

This is how God refers to Eve. She is his helper. This isn’t a case where an inferior supports a superior. The context and all descriptions of this event are intended to show equality in position despite, or perhaps because of, the difference between how each was created. Without Eve, Adam would not be complete. Without Eve, Adam would be insufficient for the tasks of this world. It is only with Eve that Adam is fully able to stand. He leans again Eve while standing on the foundation of God to form the holy triangle that is considerably stronger and more capable.

I wake up each morning and begin praying even before I role out of bed. I often keep praying through my drive to work. This is a habit that I’ve developed over the years and I find that on those rare days where I fail to do this the days tends to just suck. Things are just off and nothing goes right.

I start by thanking God for waking me up and giving me another day to serve His purpose. I know that He isn’t done with me yet and I’m looking forward to seeing how He wants to use me today. My second thought is to thank Him for waking me up next to this wonderful woman that He has blessed me to do life with. She has done more for me and for the kingdom than she will ever know in this life. She is one of three people that I give credit for the good things in my life. That’s not to say that there aren’t other people who have helped out in times of need. No, I’m saying that without these three people I would not be in a position to see of appreciate the things that others have done.

I’m sure that everyone can think of at least one person in their lives that made a huge difference to their journey. Take the time to thank them and be grateful to God for placing them in your life even if it was just for a moment.

My wife knows a thing or two about grace. She has given me far more grace than I could ever deserve. She has been patient with me as I struggled with many things that most people take for granted. She has seen me at my absolute worst and knows my tells for when I’m headed down a bad path. She knows my nature and knows how to calm me with just a look. It’s uncanny the way she can change my perspective on a situation or even a whole day with just a touch or small smile. She knows when I’m tired. She knows when I’m hurting. She knows the things I try to hide from her because I don’t want her to worry. She knows me.

I know her, too. I know that she worries about every small detail because she wants everything to be perfect for those she loves. I know that she cares far too much about the opinions of other people because she is worried that she will offend or cause harm to others. I know that she, like me, is an extreme introvert with a very small social battery that gets drained easily. There are days that even the interactions with our own kids drains her battery, yet she still pushes through and smiles because she is afraid of being a burden to other people. I also know that she does this because she feels like she isn’t good enough or worth enough for anyone else to take the time to worry about. Her self-worth is far too often tied to the opinions of other people because, try as she might, she forgets who she is. She forgets who God says she is. She forgets the power He placed in her. She forgets the things He has done in and through her.

Maybe today I can remind her of just how special she is. She is the strength in our house. She is the one who has held it all together for all of the years I’ve known her. She is the one who held me up when I fell down. She is the unsung hero who makes every meal in our house. She does all of the shopping. She manages the bills and makes sure they get paid. I’m not really even aware of some of the bills we have and have no idea how she manages to juggle it all. She does nearly all of the cleaning around the house. She tries to make sure that even the yard work is done before I get home because she wants me to be able to sit and relax when I get home. Her heart is far more generous than any other that I know.

So, yes. I wake up every morning and thank God that I got to wake up next to such an amazing woman. I thank Him for the wisdom to know what a blessing she truly is.

To all of the men on this thread, take time today to thank the wonderful ladies in your lives. They do far more than you will ever know. No matter how frustrated you can be with them at times, imagine what life would be like without their love and support to carry you through the low times when you are tired and weak.

To all of the women on this thread, I may gush over my amazing bride, but you deserve no less. You are ezer. You have a divine purpose and with that comes the divine power to persevere and overcome. You are powerful and strong in ways that men could never be. Your strength and your beauty comes from this divine purpose that God likens to His own relationship with mankind. Remember that you are a blessing to everyone in your life. Walk with humility and grace so that God can continue to work in and through you for the glory of His kingdom.

To all of the single people in this thread, be patient. It is better to be alone than it is to be with the wrong person. God knows who you are supposed to be with and when you will meet them. That aching longing to find someone, assuming you are looking, is the holy spirit reminding you that you will not always be alone. Unfortunately, the enemy likes to use that longing to attack you and destroy your self-worth. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy. Stay in the word and you will be delivered when the time is right.

Thank you all for reading and sharing your lives with me.

Any prayer requests today?