Today, we will sing a song called, “What a wonderful world,” in a service celebrating the life of my friend Bob Rule. What do you think? Is the world wonderful? When I see a beautiful sunny day like yesterday, or snow falling in Hershey Park, I feel awe. Yesterday, a toddler walked across the gym after our Bible study. What a wonder! I saw pictures of my favorite waterfall in Glacier Park this week. I’m still amazed at how close God feels when I worship him in wonder.
God made a good world. He said so. What is more, when he created humankind he said, “Very good.” Now for the first time, God says, “Not good.” What was not good in the Garden of Eden? Adam had named all the animals and birds, but he was alone and had no suitable helpmate. “Not good,” said God.
As always, God had a plan. He put Adam to sleep, extracted a rib, and from Adam’s own bone, created the woman. Then God brought the woman to the man. We hear Adam’s enthusiasm as he waxes poetic, “Bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh.” Against some contemporary thought, we are reminded that God created male and female. They were both created in his image. This set the pattern for marriages to this day. The man leaves his father and mother, unites with his wife and they become one.
Tomorrow I will perform a wedding ceremony for a wonderful young couple. God has brought them together. They will become one. Since God has joined them together, nothing can separate them. This is God’s design for families. When God made man and woman in his image, he changed, “not good,” to “very good.” What a wonderful world!
