Helper, Bride, Gift
He who finds a wife finds a GOOD thing and obtains favor from the Lord. Proverbs 18:22
Guys, have you ever heard this verse before? Maybe your wife has reminded you of it, or you've heard it quoted in church. Have you ever stopped to consider that your wife is a gift? If you are anything like me, then you probably have, but mostly on the good days.
On good days, you may look at her with rose-colored glasses and reflect on how beautiful she is and how grateful you are for her. In those moments, you may even thank God for her as you realize how blessed you are to have her for a wife. She could back the car into the house or burn the dinner, and you wouldn’t even be upset. Why? Because in those days, you are fully aware of the value she brings into your life. Oh, if we could live all of our days with this mind and heart.
What about the other days? The days where you are at odds with one another? The days that you can't stand to hear them breathe or chew food, let alone have something pleasant to say to one another? Have you ever thought about what it was like to live with YOU?
On those days, is your wife still a “good thing,” and do you believe that your life “finds favor with the Lord” simply because of who you are married to?
This August, Melissa and I will have been married for 33 years. I can tell you that we have been each other's biggest blessings, and we have also been each other's biggest griefs. Life is difficult sometimes, and what kept us going through all of those years was the commitment we made to one another. I promised her I would never leave her. That is my commitment to her, my gift to her. “You don’t ever have to worry about me leaving. Nope, not going anywhere.”
I can say that she has been my greatest cheerleader at times and my greatest frustration at times. I would not be that man I am today were it not for her challenging me to look at the world differently, to think differently, and to love differently. Is it frustrating at times? YES!! But I recognize that the way she thinks is different than the way I think, and I can learn from her if I am willing to swallow my pride and listen, instead of ignoring her or dismissing her.
Did you know that in Genesis 2:18, God said, “It is NOT GOOD for the man to be ALONE; I will make him a HELPER suitable for him.” From the very beginning, the Lord decided that we should not live alone. It shows the kindness of the Lord to recognize our needs even before we are aware of them. This is why Solomon could declare in Proverbs, by the spirit of the Lord, that “the man who finds a wife” (Notice it doesn’t say good wife, quiet wife, or subservient wife. It just says wife.), “finds a GOOD thing AND obtains favor from the Lord.”
So the Lord says in His Word that it is NOT GOOD for you to be alone. You need a HELPER; and in doing so, you find favor with God.
In John Chapter 14, Jesus is talking to His disciples and says, “I will not leave you as orphans” (alone, v18), He “will send the HELPER” (v26), who will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that He said to you. Revelation 21:9 says, “Come here, and I will show you the Bride, The WIFE of the Lamb.”
The wife of the Lamb is the Church. And the Church, both individually and collectively, is made up of believers like you and me. (Romans 12:5, Revelation 22:17) Jesus is the Bridegroom (Husband), and we are the Church (Bride).
From the very beginning, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” So He made a Helper, a wife, suited to him. This declaration in Genesis points forward to the important relationship between Christ and His Church.
At Calvary, Jesus purchased our redemption through His death on the cross. And just as God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and formed Eve from his side, Jesus, too, was pierced in His side after His death. From that wound came blood and water, symbols of cleansing and new life. In that moment, the Church was born: His bride, taken from His side, just like Eve was taken from Adam.
It is still true today: it is not good for man to be alone. We need a helper. Therefore, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, the very breath of God, to dwell within us. He would be The One to share with you the truth and offer you a different way of thinking, a different way of looking at life, and a different way to love.
The Holy Spirit of God will NEVER leave you. He can’t. He was promised to you, and God is not a man that He should lie. If He promised Him, then rest assured, He is with you, to mold and shape your soul to reflect the nature and character of Him.
Jesus looks at you every day, good and bad days, and thinks, “You are beautiful. You are the apple of my eye. Your name is engraved on the palm of My hand, and I will never stop thinking about you.”
And we must never forget.
JOURNAL: Are we allowing the Holy Spirit the opportunity to speak in our lives? Are we allowing Him to actually lead us and guide us? Is our pride getting in the way? Are we being stubborn and holding on to our way of thinking and living? Take some time and ask the Holy Spirit to show you one way or area today that He wants to bring redemption to you through His truth. Would you be willing to listen AND obey?
Guys, have you ever heard this verse before? Maybe your wife has reminded you of it, or you've heard it quoted in church. Have you ever stopped to consider that your wife is a gift? If you are anything like me, then you probably have, but mostly on the good days.
On good days, you may look at her with rose-colored glasses and reflect on how beautiful she is and how grateful you are for her. In those moments, you may even thank God for her as you realize how blessed you are to have her for a wife. She could back the car into the house or burn the dinner, and you wouldn’t even be upset. Why? Because in those days, you are fully aware of the value she brings into your life. Oh, if we could live all of our days with this mind and heart.
What about the other days? The days where you are at odds with one another? The days that you can't stand to hear them breathe or chew food, let alone have something pleasant to say to one another? Have you ever thought about what it was like to live with YOU?
On those days, is your wife still a “good thing,” and do you believe that your life “finds favor with the Lord” simply because of who you are married to?
This August, Melissa and I will have been married for 33 years. I can tell you that we have been each other's biggest blessings, and we have also been each other's biggest griefs. Life is difficult sometimes, and what kept us going through all of those years was the commitment we made to one another. I promised her I would never leave her. That is my commitment to her, my gift to her. “You don’t ever have to worry about me leaving. Nope, not going anywhere.”
I can say that she has been my greatest cheerleader at times and my greatest frustration at times. I would not be that man I am today were it not for her challenging me to look at the world differently, to think differently, and to love differently. Is it frustrating at times? YES!! But I recognize that the way she thinks is different than the way I think, and I can learn from her if I am willing to swallow my pride and listen, instead of ignoring her or dismissing her.
Did you know that in Genesis 2:18, God said, “It is NOT GOOD for the man to be ALONE; I will make him a HELPER suitable for him.” From the very beginning, the Lord decided that we should not live alone. It shows the kindness of the Lord to recognize our needs even before we are aware of them. This is why Solomon could declare in Proverbs, by the spirit of the Lord, that “the man who finds a wife” (Notice it doesn’t say good wife, quiet wife, or subservient wife. It just says wife.), “finds a GOOD thing AND obtains favor from the Lord.”
So the Lord says in His Word that it is NOT GOOD for you to be alone. You need a HELPER; and in doing so, you find favor with God.
In John Chapter 14, Jesus is talking to His disciples and says, “I will not leave you as orphans” (alone, v18), He “will send the HELPER” (v26), who will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that He said to you. Revelation 21:9 says, “Come here, and I will show you the Bride, The WIFE of the Lamb.”
The wife of the Lamb is the Church. And the Church, both individually and collectively, is made up of believers like you and me. (Romans 12:5, Revelation 22:17) Jesus is the Bridegroom (Husband), and we are the Church (Bride).
From the very beginning, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” So He made a Helper, a wife, suited to him. This declaration in Genesis points forward to the important relationship between Christ and His Church.
At Calvary, Jesus purchased our redemption through His death on the cross. And just as God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and formed Eve from his side, Jesus, too, was pierced in His side after His death. From that wound came blood and water, symbols of cleansing and new life. In that moment, the Church was born: His bride, taken from His side, just like Eve was taken from Adam.
It is still true today: it is not good for man to be alone. We need a helper. Therefore, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, the very breath of God, to dwell within us. He would be The One to share with you the truth and offer you a different way of thinking, a different way of looking at life, and a different way to love.
The Holy Spirit of God will NEVER leave you. He can’t. He was promised to you, and God is not a man that He should lie. If He promised Him, then rest assured, He is with you, to mold and shape your soul to reflect the nature and character of Him.
Jesus looks at you every day, good and bad days, and thinks, “You are beautiful. You are the apple of my eye. Your name is engraved on the palm of My hand, and I will never stop thinking about you.”
And we must never forget.
JOURNAL: Are we allowing the Holy Spirit the opportunity to speak in our lives? Are we allowing Him to actually lead us and guide us? Is our pride getting in the way? Are we being stubborn and holding on to our way of thinking and living? Take some time and ask the Holy Spirit to show you one way or area today that He wants to bring redemption to you through His truth. Would you be willing to listen AND obey?
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