February 11, 2021 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Ted: Hello, friends! I’m delighted that Nancy, my dear wife of 45 years, has joined me today as we share a few moments together with you.
In the book of Genesis, chapter 1, we are given an overview of the beautiful Creation account—how God created the Earth, and everything in it, in six literal days—and everything “was good.” But then, midway into chapter 2, which gives us more of the Creation backstory, we read that something was “not good!” Verse 18 tells us: “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
Nancy: You know the rest of the story. God put Adam into a deep sleep and performed the first surgery—removing one of Adam’s ribs and forming Eve—the very first woman—from it.
Ellen White shares this important insight:
“Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self; showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 46).
Ted: Of course, when God brought Eve to Adam, it was love at first sight! God then performed the very first marriage ceremony, blessing the man and woman, uniting them together that the two might become one.
Nancy: We wish we could say, “And they lived happily ever after,” because that was certainly God’s intention!
Ted: God intended marriage to be an unending source of joy and love, of companionship and growth. But sadly, sin entered this world, and rather than being a source of happiness, marriage has too often become a source of sorrow for so many people.
Nevertheless, there is hope! This wonderful gift God gave to us in Eden can still be enjoyed today through His blessing. The same Jesus who created the marriage institution and who performed his first miracle at a wedding in Cana, is eager to perform His miracle in our lives today.
Nancy: “The presence of Christ alone can make men and women happy,” we read in the wonderful book, The Adventist Home. “All the common waters of life Christ can turn into the wine of heaven. The home then becomes as an Eden of bliss; the family, a beautiful symbol of the family in heaven” (p. 28).
Ted: This coming Sabbath, February 13, begins the “Christian Home and Marriage Week.” Organized by the Family Ministries department of the General Conference, this special week embraces two Sabbaths—Christian Marriage Day on February 13, and Christian Home Day on February 20. We invite you to visit family.adventist.org for resources.
Nancy: The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:7,8: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
Ted: As we close this time together, Nancy and I would like to share a well-known, beautiful passage from 1 Corinthians 13, and we encourage you to read the entire chapter each day during this special “Christian Home and Marriage Week.”
Nancy: This passage describes in a very clear way how love manifests itself. Beginning in 1 Corinthians 13:4 we read—“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
Ted: “does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
Nancy: “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Ted & Nancy: “Love never fails.”
Ted: May the Lord bless and strengthen you as we each, through His power, seek to live out His love in our lives. Let’s pray together just now.
Father in heaven, we come to you at this very important time with an emphasis on families and marriage. Lord help us to understand fully your intent for these beautiful institutions. Now Lord bless each one who is viewing, each one who is praying with us right now, give their families give each individual an assurance of your presence and then encouragement in helping each one and the families to be the greatest representatives on the face of this earth, pointing people to what Christ can do in a life and his soon coming, when we will be with him forever. In Jesus name we ask it, amen.