PrintI appreciate many of the insights of James Ryle and the one I heard last week is no exception. It took me back to the biblical account of creation and the activity of God as the Great Creator.
As we know there is a recurring theme or affirmation that permeates the unfolding narration in Genesis 1- "And God saw that it was good". This statement occurs 7 times in the chapter. (vs. 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). The final affirmation as God looked over all that He had done is "...He saw that it was excellent in every way".
But as we turn to chapter 2, we encounter a statement that stands in splendid isolation and opposition to the previous affirmations.
And the LORD God said, "It is not good....." What's not good? I thought we just agreed that God saw that everything was good. "And the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone". (Genesis 2:18 NLT).
Here is the one exception to what we might otherwise call a perfect record. Here is the one thing in all creation that doesn't pass the test.
"And the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone". Loneliness is not good.
I wonder if Satan was privy to that observation? If so, would I be drawing too long a bow to imagine his response when I picture him saying with malevolence, "Is that so?" Satan is fanatically committed to the destruction of the image of God wherever he happens to find it. Since we have been created in (with) that image, our enemy will employ any strategy he can to do us harm.
Now that he knows that loneliness is not good for us, guess what tactics he mobilises against us? Anything that produces loneliness in our lives and relationships. To quote James Ryle, "Satan wants to separate us, isolate us and terminate us".
The antidote for loneliness is genuine community - where we can know and be known, love and be loved, celebrate and be celebrated. So relationships become a primary target. Satan seeks to create division through misunderstanding, misinformation and confusion. Community struggles to survive and loneliness prevails. And God says it is not good for us to be alone.
Do you begin to see how vital it is that we invest every effort into maintaining and protecting those relationships that facilitate community? The Apostle Paul certainly recognised this vital truth.
Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:2-3 NLT).
Not all of us can preach. Not all of us can lead. Not all of us can heal. But everyone of us can (and must) love the brethren and make our individual contributions to protect and enrich our relationships with others.
