Genesis 2:23
“At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’”
The Lord God Almighty, after creating the heavens and the earth, needed someone to take care of his creation. The Bible tells us that the Lord formed man out of the dust of the earth and breathe into him the breath of life. The Lord called this creation “man” or “Adam,” and put him in the Garden of Eden to work and watch over it. Every livestock, wild animal, and bird of the sky was bought to the man to be given a name. Adam gave names to every living creature, yet none was found suitable to be his companion. The Lord observed the man as he tended the land and thought, “it is not good that man should be alone. I will make a helper who is like him.”
The story goes that the Lord put Adam into a deep sleep and removed one of his ribs, then fashioned the rib into a companion for him. When he saw her, he said, “At last! This one is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called “woman” because she was taken from man.” Adam fell in love with the woman “Eve” or Ishshah (Hebrew) because he finally had someone who was his equal.
Adam cries out, “At last!” Here was a creation suitable to be his companion, someone he could love. This was not a friendship, or philia love. The love he felt for Eve came from his great love for God. He could give romantic love, eros, to his wife, because he knew the unconditional agápē love of God.
As we approach Valentine’s Day, boxes of heart-shaped candy, teddy bears, flowers, diamond necklace’s, rings, and many other gifts are being purchased to show love to spouses, mates, and companions all in the name of eros. I love expressions of love through the exchanging of gifts, but it must be predicated on the love of God who saw that it was not good for man to be alone and created a companion that would be suitable for him. We must imitate the love God showed when He bought two people together so they could become one. We will not only express our romantic love for our mate but will simultaneously communicate the unconditional love of God.
You may love your friends, but without unconditional love, friendships become fragile and are easily broken. You may have eros and love your partner, but without unconditional love, emotions can change you from romantic to apathetic. Love your friends and your partner with the unconditional love of agápē, and your expressions of philia and eros love will be totally received. Love at last!
Be Blessed!
Rev. J. Loren Russell is President/CEO of The JLR Company and The J. Loren R Consulting, LLC for Church Financial Strategy & Consulting, an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, creator & host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook LIVE and author of Matters of Faith: The Book (eBook available at Smashwords).
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