Bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh

“…bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh…” – Genesis 2v23

I am not much of one for romance stories. They are fine in their place, but their place is usually on someone’s bookshelf other than mine.

Yet, here we read the very first love story. Adam had been all alone. He had tended the garden and seen all of the animal pass by to receive their nomenclature. I can imagine day after day passing, and after a while Adam getting depressed as he went through name after name. Finally they were all done, and yet Adam was still all alone.

God saw Adam’s loneliness and acted. While Adam slept God took part of his body and crafted a woman. When Adam saw her he proclaimed, “At last, this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh!” This meant much more than just the fact that she was taken from his side. This was the one who was suitable for Adam when all else fell short.

Our love story does not end there. God lays out a perfect plan for these two lovers. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and the two shall be one flesh.” Since there was no father and mother yet the Holy Spirit added this comment when Moses wrote these words. Here is God’s plan so perverted by sinful man. When a man leaves his parents the Bible says he cleaves to his wife. There can be no doubt as to what is intended here. The Hebrew word is in a tense that means that the man is to “cling, cleave to, stay with” his wife. In case that isn’t clear enough he makes it even more definite – “and the two shall be one flesh”

Oh, what a wonderful plan our loving God laid out for us! One man, one woman, one life together! This is God’s very first instruction on relationships. When that collapses can we be surprised when everything collapses as well?

May those of us who are married be fully committed to God’s perfect plan and his perfect will. May we fully instruct our children in the importance of God’s way in relationships. May those considering marriage be totally committed to a marriage according to God’s pattern.

Thank you Lord for my “help-meet.” The one who is indeed bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh! Thank you for Your perfect plan. May we stand firm for that pattern in a world which is so quickly abandoning it!