Genesis 2:18-24 - Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is 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 his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

In Genesis 2, we read the beautiful account of how God created woman to be a 'helper fit for' man. After creating man, God saw that it was not good for him to be alone. So He created the animals and had Adam name them, but still no suitable partner was found. Then God put Adam into a deep sleep, took one of his ribs, and fashioned it into a woman. When Adam awoke, he rejoiced, saying, 'This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh!' Adam recognized that though the woman was made from him, she was also distinct from him. The passage concludes by stating that a man will leave his parents and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This account forms the biblical basis for marriage. It shows that men and women are created by God to complement one another in a one-flesh union. Though different, husband and wife are joined together by God to serve Him better together than apart. The goal of marriage is spiritual and relational oneness, not merely a physical union.

The Bible makes clear that marriage is God's design for most people. It should be highly valued and not entered into casually or selfishly. A husband and wife are to serve one another, being willing to sacrifice their own desires for the good of the other, just as Christ sacrificed Himself for the church. If you are married, are you loving and cherishing your spouse as you promised before God? Do you need to repent of selfishness or taking your spouse for granted? God may be calling you to renew your commitment to your marriage partner today. Pray for a selfless, servant's heart towards your beloved. If you are single but desire to be married, ask God to prepare your heart for a future spouse. Study what the Bible says about biblical marriage roles. Pray for your future husband or wife, entrusting them into God's hands. Wait patiently on God's timing to bring you together. Whether single or married, all of us must guard against sexual temptation and immorality, keeping our minds and bodies pure for God's service. May we honor and uphold God's good design for marriage between one man and one woman for life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for creating marriage and giving us the gift of family. Forgive us for failing to value and uphold marriage as You intended. Renew and strengthen the marriages of those reading this today. Heal brokenness and give grace to press on together. For those still waiting for a spouse, remind them of Your loving care and perfect timing. Help us to honor You with our bodies and relationships. May we live holy lives that shine the light of Christ to all around us, for Your glory. Amen.