Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “God’s Established Plan” – Monday, 28 April 2014 - Scripture: Genesis 2: 18-25

Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “God’s Established Plan” – Monday, 28 April 2014 - Scripture: Genesis 2: 18 Yahweh God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to[a] him.” 19 Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature became its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21 Yahweh God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. As the man slept, he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Yahweh God made a woman from the rib which had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. 23 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they were not ashamed.

Footnotes:

a. Genesis 2:18 or, suitable for, or appropriate for.

“God’s Established Plan” by Carol Rittenhouse

The account of creation in Genesis is a beautiful narrative of God’s first and best plan for the world. Out of darkness and chaos, God has established order, peace, and community. As God’s creative energy moved over the earth, it is clear that work was not completed until Eve was given to Adam as a “suitable helper” (v.20). God was not satisfied that Adam should live alone as ruler over an animal kingdom. It isn’t that God was not enough for Adam. In fact, Adam never asked for a helper. Nevertheless, God knew Adam needed human warmth and companionship. Adam needed community and this only come another human being.

Why? It is through this human companionship that God’s love and grace could be most fully demonstrated in the world. There are some today who believe that there is no need to worship God within community. This idea is not in line with God’s established plan. God’s desire is that the world will be enveloped in God’s shalom (Hebrew for peace). This can only be done when God’s people participate in God’s creative activity while in community with each other. The creation of Eve for Adam was the capstone of God’s creation–God’s good and perfect creation.

Hymn for Today:

“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” by Joachim  Neander, translated by Catherine Winkworth

1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,

  the King of creation!

O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy

  health and salvation!

    All ye who hear,

Now to His temple draw near;

Sing now in glad adoration!

2. Praise to the Lord, who o’er all

  things so wondrously reigneth,

Who, as on wings of an eagle,

  uplifteth, sustaineth.

    Hast thou not seen

How thy desires all have been

Granted in what He ordaineth?

3. Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully,

  wondrously, made thee!

Health hath vouchsafed and, when

  heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.

    What need or grief

Ever hath failed of relief?

Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

4. Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper

  thy work and defend thee,

Who from the heavens the streams of

  His mercy doth send thee.

    Ponder anew

What the Almighty can do,

Who with His love doth befriend thee.

5. Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that

  is in me adore Him!

All that hath life and breath, come

  now with praises before Him!

    Let the Amen

Sound from His people again;

Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Thought for Today:

“For, behold, he who forms the mountains,

    and creates the wind,

    and declares to man what is his thought;

    who makes the morning darkness,

    and treads on the high places of the earth:

    Yahweh, the God of Armies, is his name.” (Amos 4:13).

Prayer Needs:

Developing Christian leaders in Brazil!

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