Not

“It is not good that man should be alone…” (Genesis 2:18).

Creation of Adam (Amuri Assani)

I have been reflecting on the story of creation in the Bible…

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Genesis 1:1-2).

Throughout the entire story of creation – before the fall of humankind through the first sin – every single thing that God created was described as GOOD.  The earth and sky were good.  The water and vegetation were good.  The creatures and man were good.  There is only one thing in the story of creation that was described as NOT good…

“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.’” (Genesis 2:18).

And I have been reflecting on that little word NOT in that quote… “It is not good that man should be alone…”

You see, Christ made man and in making man he knew that man would not be happy alone.  God is a relationship.  The very definition of the Holy Trinity as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (who is the love between the Father and the Son) means that God Himself is a perfect Relationship.  And this means that if God makes me in His image, then I too am made to be in a relationship with others.  We humans are social creatures…

And I have been thinking about this in relation to my own life and my feelings of loneliness.  I think that I have spent a great deal of my time feeling alone.  Even – at times – in the midst of company, I have felt terribly alone.  And I have been reflecting on that today as I have been reflecting on the design of the human creation…

Adam named all the animals of the land and sea.  God set the world to perfection and placed Adam in it.  And He let Adam sit in his loneliness there for a time.  Adam knew that something was wrong but he could not articulate it.  But God knew it and solved the problem without Adam even having to say a word…

God was making a way for Adam before Adam even knew what way there was to be made.  He allowed Adam to feel the loss before He provided Adam with the cure so that Adam would be able to appreciate the gift when it was provided to him…

And I have been thinking about that today.  For there is so much in this world that is difficult and a struggle.  And it seems to me that perhaps that is the case because God is preparing something great for me and He wants me to be ready to see my rewards and I will not be able to recognise them if I do not already have something that is NOT good in my life right now…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.