“THE PROCESS OF FINDING YOUR PARTNER FOR LIFE” “And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” – Genesis 2:20b
The bible expresses the futility of Adam’s quest to find a mate after he had named all the animals. He had hoped that his zeal to fulfill the divine commission will accrue a dividend of his expectation. His desire for a mate fueled his zeal to name the animals hoping by so doing, he will find a mate. However, he was disappointed. He might have been confounded because it was God who brought the animals to him after he had made him aware of the need for a mate. God awakened in him a passion for a mate, set him up with the opportunity by presenting all the animals for him to name them and yet his quest ended in futility. Why will God make him aware of a need, generate a passion and yet lead him to a futile search? The bible blurts out the futility of his search:
“…but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” – Gen 2:20b
Many single Christians find themselves in such dilemma. Their hope is dashed, emotionally drained by the quest of finding a decent mate; they succumb to their disappointments and quit their search. Many have concluded that the mate of their dreams cannot be found in their world. All the right people are all taken so they don’t even bother to try so they don’t get hurt. They deceive themselves that they can bottle up their feelings in a false sense of spirituality until circumstances break out their façade and spill out that emotional feelings they are dying to serve a mate of their dreams with. Until many singles understand divine intimacy cannot replace the warmth of human intimacy which is consented by God, they will come up with excuses to quit the quest for the love of their life.
Adam could not give up after all the disappointments in naming all the animals. Do you know how many animals that Adam named and yet could not find a mate? He could have just picked one of the animals to be his mate because of the scarcity of his kind. However he could not do it inspite of all the disappointments. To be true to who he was, Adam could not just pick any of the animals. They might be cute, some were closer to his morals, some had resemblance to his features but they were still animals. He could not bring himself to choose one and hope God will do a creative constructive plastic surgery and turn them to human in the future. Adam will not degrade his ethics and shame God by picking an animal just because of the scarcity of his kind.
The Importance of the Process
Why will God lead him into a quest that will lead him to such disappointments? God knew that his pursuit will end up in emotional bankruptcy, yet He urged him to go on anyway. Though his search was futile, some good was done. The animals got named which was consented by God.
Though God knew that he would not get what he desires, He needed the animals to be named anyway. Such was important, that God allowed him to go through the process. It might not have been what Adam wanted, but it was fulfilling a divine good. God did not hurriedly create him a woman, because the process was necessary for him to pick the right mate and to be a good husband. He was created perfect but had not developed character. Character is not just created but lived. You can be created with high morals but you must be given the opportunity to live it out. The process of finding a help mate equipped him to be the person God wanted. He learned to use the judgment of God, as he named the animals the way God wanted. He learned that opportunity does not mean divine sanction. The mere fact that God has presented the animals does not mean that he has to pick all of them to be wives. He learned how not to pick anyone contrary to his image and likeness. He was created in the image and likeness of God and could not stay true to himself if he picks an animal. He learned that scarcity does not have to force you to compromise your ethics. He learned that there is always a divine option when man has exhausted his means. The process was a teacher to equip him for the marriage.
“Let patience has its perfect work so that you will be entire, wanting nothing.” – James 1:14
As you go through the process, God is working on you, so you need to be patient. As God places you in a quest to search for your mate, do some good by naming things the way God will call them. Fulfill your divine commission as you search for your mate. Stay true to your calling and dreams that God has given to you.
“All things work together for good to them that love God.” – Romans 8:28
Adam did not know the significance of what he had gained by naming the animals until Eve was presented to him. What he had gained by naming the animals was utilized to name the wife.
“…This is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh…” – Genesis 2:23
God had not told him that was the process that he will use to identify his wife. However as he obeyed God in naming the animals, he acquired the judgment to identify his wife. The process helped him to name the wife well. God could not trust him to name Eve, if he had not gone through naming the animals first. The process was necessary. After he had passed the test of naming the animals with divine consent, he passed the test to meet his wife; and he named her prophetically to divine admiration. If he had quit the process, he would not have been equipped to name Eve….
Get busy pursuing your calling and learn from the process because it is necessary for your marriage.
