Life in God’s Garden: Part 6

Game day turned out to be all that I had expected, plus some.  Moving my schedule around to meet the needs of my spouse was sheer delight, especially in meeting two grand ladies that filled my head with compliments. 

Arriving on time, hubby and I took off our coats giving valid excuses why we couldn’t stay long (Angel kitty as one of them).  Pressing in the attending women asked if we would join them in a game of Mexican Train Dominos.  If you haven’t played it, you’ve got to … it’s so much fun and we actually got hubby to join in on the action. 

When I questioned why I have to beg him to play games for years, but he joined in on this one in a heartbeat hubby said, “It wasn't that game.”  

Still not sure how to take that response, but I'm almost positive it’s not the right answer.  I was happy to be doing something different for a change and was elated with being asked to be a part of his world.   

Near the end of our activity my enthusiasm changed, which caused me to think about our subject for this week – women. 

Welcome new friends this week from:

See if your city/state/country made the list. 

New on DFB – Salé, Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer, Morocco; Ludlow, England, United Kingdom; Fredericton & Marysville, NB, Canada; Trail, BC, Canada; Trbovlje, Central Sava Statistical Region, Slovenia; Istanbul, Istanbul Province, Turkey; Finland; Ireland;

Jordan; Madagascar; Malaysia; Serbia; Russia; Singapore. Namibia; Zambia. 

USA – Kissimmee, Starke, Summerfield & Winter Haven, FL; Job, Inez, Lovely, Warfield & Tomahawk, KY; Moore, SC; Baton Rouge & West Monroe, LA; Reno, NV; Strasburg & Virginia Beach, VA; Clanton, AL; Hanford & Temecula, CA; Glenolden & Linglestown, PA; Columbia Heights, MN; Carl Junction, MO; Elmer & Minotola, NJ. 

I am so thankful for your visit and hope that you come back each week to participate in the weekly challenges.  Join us in our new series as we spend time in the study of Daily Favor Relationships. 

You are welcome to leave comments or prayer requests below.  All are private. I would love to hear from you and how Daily Favor has worked in your life.  Contact me by leaving a message in the box at the bottom of this week’s post.  

Don't miss out on this week's challenge (below).

Be sure to visit Tell Me, Q & A or other sections.

It Wasn’t Luck, but Skill 

As the hours passed our conversations about relationships grew and how the favor of God had a hand in each medical situation.  Prayer and literally being by the side of their loved one during heart surgery was what got them through the whole ordeal.  Ultimately, God was the center of it even for those who were skeptical at first. 

I was intent on learning the game, but more so finding out how others coped during the time of need while their partner was undergoing treatment in and out of the hospital.  Our teacher of the game was excellent in her skill resulting in my winning both games, the latter I didn’t even realize because I was talking. (No remarks from the balcony please!) 

“Your wife is lucky.” Karen said to my husband as she collected the game pieces from the table.  He didn’t agree with it being luck, but nodded in the fact I win things at times.   

Shortly after the finals my playing mates said they would have to give me a handicap before entering into the Mexican Train ride in the future.  At least I didn’t get banned from other events. 

Simply Beautiful 

Hubby was seated across the large conference table from me, and as he was engrossed in conversation about his surgery I leaned over to grab our coats from the chairs directly behind where I sat. 

Sliding his belongings across the table the lady next to me began saying how youthful I looked.   Perking up, now Lyn really had my attention. 

When she inquired about my age my eyes flashed over to my husband with the look, “Don’t you dare tell her!”  I wasn’t about to let him ruin what this woman obviously felt she needed to declare … “You look about the age of my daughter; you couldn’t be older than her.” 

She went on and on about my looks. Okay I let her go on and on … never revealing my age and why I was with that “older man.”  Hubby shared how he’s been called my father so many times while out dining, and once again I didn’t stop him from telling that tale. 

 

Standing to make my exit, it didn’t reveal how I truly felt, but left blushing and making it out to be nothing significant.  I have to admit I was flattered for a while, but the feeling soon left. 

Thinking about the situation later on in the week reminded me of Sarai when Abram referred to her as a woman of beautiful countenance, meaning her face and entirety of body was beautiful to look upon from the viewpoint of others besides him.  Now we know that Abram was really being selfish in this particular instance, but it didn’t change the fact that this woman was simply beautiful! 

^“ And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance.” (Genesis 12:11 NKJV) 

Knowing you’re beautiful and feeling beautiful are two separate matters in the mind of a woman; it’s not something that I “feel” or “believe” but I’m working on it. Hearing someone talk that way was nice, but really made me uneasy and uncomfortable.   

Become What You Think  

Beauty isn’t always in the eyes of the beholder, especially when the one looking has no “eye” for what God said about the creation.  There was a time when I was once voted cutest in my class, and could accept that perhaps there was cuteness about me, but certainly nothing beautiful. 

Thoughts were etched in my mind when someone I deeply cared about felt the need to throw vile word darts explaining how I wasn’t special or pretty.  Nothing anyone said after that meant anything, because I believed what this man said to me. 

So when the ladies from Game Day began discussing looks I gathered my belongings as soon as I could to escape the situation by making light of it.  This leads me to the last (third) part of blessing #9 from Life in God’s Garden.

 

As we finish studying the beginning of human relationships, I’d like to look at the female side of things in helping us become what God says we are and not what we think we are.  Let’s get some insight to what Jehovah says a woman really is to Him, a man and to others. 

Counting Our Blessings 

The ninth blessing is constructed of three parts: the relationship with God, second animals and finally the race of man.  It is with the last part that Adam would recognize the creatures paraded before his eyes were not like him by any stretch of the imagination. 

Here is where I’d like add a few words on the subject of the female part of the race of man and why woman was intended to be a blessing.  We notice that everything God made was good, but all of a sudden something isn’t good … something isn’t quite right.  

“… and the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Genesis 2:18 NKJV) 

Last time we focused on what was floating around in Adam’s head when he first laid eyes on the mate God chose for him.  I’d like to take a look at this through Eve’s eyes and what she thought about herself.

The Wo in Man 

Sometimes I think it’s hard for us to wrap our thinking around what actually happened in the garden when it comes to God creating two parts of “man”, one being the male and the other the female in the race.   

We poke fun at how the male was made, at least I have likening him to no more than a blob of dough being pinched, pushed and squeezed into something that resembles the image of God.  On the other hand, when it comes to the Divine design of the female, we tend to dress it up into being the best part of the dough becoming the “Divine sliced bread” for the male to ingest as if it was the food of life.  Yuck… 

Man is first pictured in Genesis 1:26-27 where both male and female were created in the image of God. It’s not until chapter 2 that we learn more about their descriptions in the design of the human race.  For the first time in the process of creation we read that something isn’t good.   

Once man made his debut we learn that there is a need for a mate for him so he will not be lonely, thereby God created a suitable helper to complete the race called man. (Genesis 2:18)  In order for the creation of man to be completely “good” there had to be a counterpart that was equal to the first design. 

By Adam noticing the companions of each animal that was paraded before him, he saw that none of them looked like he did.  The revelation light bulb was lit in his thinking understanding that something was lacking in his short lived life.  It’s not until Genesis 1:27 that the terms male, female (man and woman) are identified as separate identities yet still called man. 

When Adam sees Eve for the first time he notices that there is an inner and outer beauty in her that he does not possess.  She is the beautiful reflection of God, the “wo” that makes him stop and do a double take of what was given to him as a precious gift. 

The Fashioning of the Woman - Not So Romantic

“So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place. And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22). 

There have been more theories than I can count on why God fashioned the female from the rib of a male.  Why didn’t He just form her out of dust like He did Adam?   

Some romanticize the creation saying God chose to use the ribcage because it protects and is close to the heart.  There are some really far-fetched ideas that I wouldn’t ever care to share (if you know what I mean). 

Man was formed (Hebrew word for yaw-tsar’) to squeeze into a shape by hand forming a mold by a potter for his purpose.  He was predetermined (pre-ordained) formed and fashioned in the frame that God designed for him to work, be active, become a father and fulfill his Divine calling.   

Even more specific, the male part of man was created to be a servant to all humanity, become great in whatever he set his mind to and be a champion for his contrasting counterpart – the female part of man which Adam called “the woman.” 

Formed vs. Made (Genesis 2) 

“… and the rib which the LORD (Jehovah "the existing One") God had taken from man, made an extension to the male man called baw-naw (fe-male). This “man” was built literally and figuratively to obtain (set up, house, repair) children for the purpose of establishing a permanent family relationship. (Genesis 2:22 NKJV emphasis mine) 

God knew from the beginning that there had to be a counterpart to the male.  His timing of bringing her forth was for Adam’s (the man’s) benefit so he would recognize that he needed her. 

What exactly was different with how the two were created anyway?  Scriptures describe a method for each as the male being “formed” compared to the female being “made”. 

Adam, the male part of man, was formed out of the ground just like any animal (no wonder they have those tendencies to get dirty and play in the mud.)  It’s easy to see how so many puns and “pet” names were derived from this realization. 

The relationship of Father/Son was established on Earth like it already was in Heaven with Jesus.  This would take Jehovah into His next phase of the race of man.  I wonder how the conversation went with Adam when God told him he’d have to have surgery in order to have a wife. 

"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. ²² Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.  

And Adam said: This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:21-24 NKJV) 

When God thought of what He wanted the female to be He designed her with the male in mind.  Her being formed is described as something that took time and care as in building a magnificent temple or castle.  She was skillfully crafted and designed to be cherished and loved. 

In bringing her to Adam, Eve was set apart as a perfect work to be cherished, honored and treasured as something special in the union ordained as marriage.  She is presented to man by the Father, the first bride, Holy, pure and without spot or wrinkle (guess those finally came because of sin too … thanks Mum Eve!). 

One Rib Coming Up 

Adam was formed while Eve was made, fashioned, crafted.  Like a block of ice that was formed, the sculptor takes away parts and creates something beautiful out of what already existed.

"Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.  And Adam said: This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” (Genesis 2: 22b-23 NKJV) 

The term woman means the opposite of the masculine or male species of the race of man.  She is female, a wife to the male, as in the married partner of a union becoming one.   

When God took a rib from Adam He removed something that was initially in man.  Through research we learn that the term rib actually is “curve” or part of his DNA.  Man and woman have an X chromosome, but the male alone has the Y chromosome.

 

The female part of man is different because she carries two XX chromosomes making each part of the union uniquely beautiful by Divine design.  Only when placed together do they become whole again and one complete man (atom).

 

There is a logical and orderly reason why God removed a “rib” from Adam instead of taking another part of his body.  Bone contains the DNA from the membrane that covers them which is needed for reproduction, but the rib periosteum (membrane) regrows or regenerates when damaged.

Selecting the rib was the perfect choice because it provides a good supply of blood through the intercostal muscles allowing healing to take place rather quickly.  The miracle for healing was already set in the design of man from the very beginning. 

“Formed or Made”, fashioning of man and woman terminology is distinct in what the Master had in mind,  A pot as in forming (yatser) of man by the potter in Hebrew, has a specific purpose and can only be used for one thing at a time.  This makes it so much easier to grasp why a man has difficulty in multi-tasking – he wasn’t designed to do it. 

However, fashioning (the making) of the woman is banah, which is an artful skill referring to the making of beautiful palaces and temples.  God wanted woman to be more than a companion and helper.  He designed her to be an aesthetic work, something to look upon and behold as beautiful in the eyes of her beloved.  Built in abilities including wisdom and knowledge would help sustain her own beauty in attracting the male counterpart. 

Wonder Woman  

Man and woman were created as a governing team to be interdependent of one another to accomplish the Will of God.  While the male race was designed to focus on servanthood and purpose oriented, the female part in service included cultivating relationships. 

Eve would bring to Adam what was removed from him restoring “completeness” to man.  As a part of him, Eve understands Adam’s nature and has a desire to build him up encouraging him to complete his mission for God and the family.  She fills the void that was missing.  In other words, in God’s eyes together their DNA makes ONE person.

The wonderment of a woman is beyond description and is not to be undermined by any means nor taken lightly.  The beauty of being female takes on several roles in multi-tasking with ease.

Speaking words of confidence into her husband’s life and giving him her thumbs up approval are key tools to success in the relationship.  God embedded this skill in “woman” from the moment of creation as a help to her in building up the marriage carefully just as He did in designing her very being.

She is his perfect helping match created for the Lord’s purpose not mans.  God created the race of man the female and male counterpart to work together as a team each handing different responsibilities. 

God created Eve because Adam would be incomplete without her and the purpose of man (to multiply the family through relationship) could not be established.   

The rib from the side shows that God’s intention was for the couple to work side-by-side in unity with one another serving their Creator.  They are different but equal as “man” in the creation design. 

They complement and don’t take away from the other.  He carefully fashioned molded and took His time, to make her something beautiful for the male to behold. 

When God gave Adam a wife in His Garden, it was a blessing and favor from the Lord that continues and is available only through the relationship of marriage.   

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.” (Proverbs 18:22 NKJV) 

Think on This Challenge:

Marvelous in Whose Eyes? 

It’s not too difficult for a woman to believe that she has an inner beauty of sorts, but when it comes to outer beauty, well that’s a different story.  The framework of a woman is marvelous, valuable and beautiful as sparkling diamonds.   

The "woman" side of the race of man is different and cannot be compared to anything else ever created; Adam as much as said that when looking for his equal and couldn’t wait to have her in his life.

A few days after Game Day my husband cracked a joke saying, “You must still be riding high on those compliments.”  Do you know what I said? 

“I would be if I believed it!”  That is what brought on this week’s think challenge.   

It’s mainly for women, but in a sense is for the race of man.  When you look into a mirror do you see marvelous, mediocre or a mess?   

How did Eve feel about herself when she saw her reflection in the rivers?  Did she see what God and Adam saw in her beyond appearance?   

A gentle word to the males … No matter how many times you tell your woman that she truly is beautiful, she won’t believe you until she knows it in her heart.  She needs to understand that her beauty is from God, no matter what it looks like to her.   

There’s nobody like you on purpose … you were who God wanted just the way you are. He loves and adores that beautiful face, body, wacky personality, awkwardness and all. 

Believe that God built a masterpiece, and it’s YOU!  Believe that you are fearfully (beautifully) and wonderfully made (crafted to perfection) just the way you are!  (Psalm 139:14) 

 

Hey Girl (Simply Beautiful) by Nicole C. Mullen

If this article has encouraged or helped you, please consider sharing it by using the social media icons provided at the end of this post. 

Until next time, wives bring beautiful favor to marriage!

 

“Your beauty is favorable to behold.”

Jesus Christ 

*Unless noted, the names in articles are changed to protect the individual(s) privacy. 

Note: Emphasis is given in some scriptures to show clarity or understanding and is not to take away from the inspirited Word of God. 

Disclaimer: Article information is not meant to be used as treatment for mental or physical issues, but geared toward spiritual awareness. 

What’s New This Week: Click on the photo or link.

When God Made You

 by Jane G. Meyer 

 

Declare that you are fearfully, wonderfully ...

 BEAUTIFULLY made by God!

 

 

Fashion Scarf reads:

Psalm 139:14 on each end of the scarf: I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

View Scripture Scarf 

As always, all proceeds from this site go to Christian charity.

Follow Favored1 on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Pinterest and Hub Pages Articles.  

Maybe you don’t know the Living God that I know, but would like to have this kind of favor in your life also.  Click on the above tab “Tell Me About Jesus” for more information on becoming a child of the Savior. 

Content and Image Copyright from Favored1. Do not copy. 

Disclaimer Notes: Results may vary due to lack of belief.

Scripture references provided by Gateway Bible in the New King James Bible Version or as noted. 

Image credit: Google Images reative Common License if not specified.

Image:  You Are Beautiful   Counting Our Blessing  Genesis 1:27  Why a Rib?  Jesus Presenting Eve to Adam

 

Life in Gods Garden, Adam and Eve, Creation, Daily Favor Blog, Daily Favor Relationships, Marriage, Garden of Eden, Jane Meyer, Nicole Mullen, Weekly Challenge, Teaching Series, Christian Living.