Standing Together (Adam and Eve)

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 

Genesis 3:8, 9

READ Genesis 3.

What did it sound like when God walked? Did he shuffle his feet? Was He whistling while walking, or could they hear him peering through the branches looking for the disgraced couple? God put them together to keep each other from the attacks of the enemy. They stayed together only because there was no one else with whom to hide. Adam’s response to God's inquiry lets us know that he was with Eve, but then he threw her under the bus as soon as God asked why he was hiding. 

Has your spouse ever screwed up? Has he or she made a mistake that was difficult to forgive or challenging to get over? Have you stuck beside them through it? I can only imagine Adam’s response when Eve presented the fruit to him. Did he think about His creator’s commands, or did he, in looking into her once perfect eyes, acknowledge that she was the only one on earth he wanted to or could be with? 

They jacked up together, and God found them together. Even in hiding, they did not leave each other’s side. While both casting blame on others, they never walked away from each other. Yeah, they were the only two humans on the planet, but they could've gone to their separate continents! But God had never suggested or hinted at separation. They were created to live forever together, and even in their fallen state, their bond, though torn, was not destroyed. 

Marriage is challenging. Sometimes it brings hurt and pain from the one that promised to be close to you and protect you forever. But even with the discomfort and pain, stay together, stick together, stand (or sometimes, sit) together. Whatever you do, in the absence of physical violence or harm to an individual or family members, covenant that you are going to stick it out. As you read this devotional series, commit to the next 28 days to discover how God can use this exercise as a way to keep you and your spouse connected. It is our prayer that in the end, you will be much stronger - standing together!

Thought Questions

• Have you ever had a moment where you felt stuck because someone else (more specifically, your spouse) made a mistake?
• How did you react when it happened? Would you consider responding differently? How so?
• What do you do when it is hard to forgive? How do you move forward and find healing?

Life Lessons

• God finds us and loves us in our mess. If God can do that for us, we can undoubtedly reciprocate that same love towards others, especially those closest to us. 
• When you find someone close to you in a difficult situation, the best thing to do is stay close. Don’t leave them - stand by their side!

Further Study

Read Romans 5:8. Take turns discussing what God’s love means to you personally (include details about your journey in accepting God’s love and forgiveness).