Love God Greatly: In the Beginningنموونە

It was not good for the man to be alone. This is the only aspect of creation to this point that God said was not good. While the man was alone, there is not an indication he was lonely. What God called “not good” was the absence of community for the man. The man was alone because there was no one like him with whom he could share all God had planned for humanity. He was not able to fulfill God’s purpose for humanity to “be fruitful and multiply” by himself. 

God created the woman to be a companion to the man. The Hebrew word used to describe the woman as a companion is the word ‘ezer. Most of the other uses of ‘ezer in the Old Testament are used to describe God. This word has no sense of inferiority or subordination but rather describes an indispensable companion, one who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. 

When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about divorce, He answered them by explaining the purpose of a relationship between a man and a woman. The two are to be joined together, becoming one. In marriage, a man and woman become one, both becoming indispensable companions to one another. When the author of Genesis described the first man and woman he described their marriage relationship. The community they experienced was through marriage.

Man and woman were designed to live in community. Whether married or single, we cannot live alone. We need community and others around us. God designed us for community and we are not complete without it. As followers of Christ we cannot be alone. We need community with one another to encourage each other in our walk with Christ.  

Prayer:

God, thank You for creating me for community. I am blessed by those around me. Help me to be a blessing to others. Help me grow in my understanding of community and the need I have for it. Guard and build my community today as You teach me more of what it means to not be alone. Amen.