Tuesday March 8, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: Isaiah 26-27
Gen 2:24-25 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined [cleave, NASB] to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.25And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (NKJV)
The joining of Adam and Eve together as one flesh is a prophetic picture of our relationship with God. Just as “man shall leave his father and mother”, so God calls us to leave the darkness of the world and partner with Him. Just as man “cleaves to his wife” so we are to embrace Jesus with wholehearted love which includes all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Just they were “naked” in the Garden, so we must live with an open heart. The picture of marriage is a partnership, this means that Jesus opens the deep things of His heart to us and we do the same to Him. God gives His secrets to those who hunger for them (Ps 25:14). Just as they were “not ashamed” in the Garden, so we are to live forever with confidence in His love, without shame or guilt. Just as Adam and Eve became “one flesh”, so the Church is part of Jesus body (Eph 5:30; 1 Cor 12:27; Phil 3:21) and is to be one with His purposes and plans.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. God is calling us to leave the darkness of the world to partner with Him. Spend some time in listening prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of sin that you need to clean up so that you can embrace this partnership.
2. As Christians, we are to embrace Jesus with wholehearted love. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you areas where you need to grow in loving Him more (heart, mind, soul or strength).
3. Ask the Lord to grow in you an open heart towards Jesus. Ask the Lord to grow in you a hunger for Him, ask Him to give you confidence in His love.
