What is Love: Week 4

Once Upon a Curse STUDY

This Bible Study series accompanies my new book Once Upon a Curse. This week we will explore misunderstandings surrounding the action and emotion of love. Here, the curse proclaimed to woman hints at the relationship struggles that every single person experiences.

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From the beginning, man and woman, every human was created to love. First formed to love their Creator, following that they would love one another. A one-flesh union, person to person. When Adam saw his love for the first time he proclaimed, “Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh!” He realized: she is me and I am her. We complete each other. The desire for oneness and closeness is derived from how man and women were designed to relate to one another.

All of God’s creatures were created for an unashamed uncomplicated love. Man was head of creation, woman was formed to help. Together they were the royalty over everything, Together they complimented each other perfectly. Together they were one flesh. Unconsciously loving each other, unknowingly fulfilling the law of love with which God had blessed his humans.

READ Genesis 3:9-13

How was the relationship changed between God and his creatures in the curse?

A once easy unquestionable relationship of love trust and understanding, redefined reality by the taking and eating of forbidden fruit. Severed connections now stood between God and His people, but specifically now between man and woman. Desire and power, strife and submission. The simple true love that was imprinted in the hearts of human kind was twisted up. The desire for power and the reaction of slavery and headship permeates marriages, children and kids, friendships, work relationships. The beautiful love that we all are designed to want, is held captive in a groaning age of disappointment and emptiness.

READ Deuteronomy 6:5-7, 13-19

What does “love” mean to the children of Israel?

READ 2 Kings 17:13-16

How did the children of God show “love” for the Lord?

READ Genesis 3:16

How was the relationship between man and woman changed in the curse?

This curse reminds sinners this world has been changed into an ocean of turbulent self-centered emotion. For all. Misguided desire. Incomplete and conditional loves, distracting. Hungry even after eating the fruit that could never satisfy. Most of the time, it is too deep to ever see in ourselves or in each other. Our love is now selfish. It was not just the challenge of man and woman in the story of Genesis, but our sin flows into every broken relationship on this earth.

It is in a vague manner for God to curse His people, and their relationships. There are many explanations about how this disjointed relationship actually takes shape in our world today. Some explain that woman will desire her man sexually, and yet never quite have what she wants. Or perhaps she will desire roles contrary to men, seeking to usurp his power, and do whatever she wants. I could be that a woman will hunger for the “bad boy” who desires to control her, and pass over the “good guy” who will care for her. The curse may hint that men will continually, always end up with control, and women will hate it. But whichever version of strife you have experienced in the struggle of relationship, there is a common theme of unsolvable dissatisfaction.

In more recent times, our struggle for love has extended beyond genders. No longer is it sufficient to talk about love only existing between a man and a woman. Same sex couples also desire a connection with another person, bone of bone, flesh of flesh. Political and personal campaigns in support of love now flood our world. And yet, these efforts are also met with struggle, disappointment and pain.