Who's the Third?

⁹ Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.  Ecclesiastes 4

Happy Valentine’s Day!  It’s a day that my husband and I haven’t celebrated in the traditional sense for years.  We just don’t get into it.  We don’t buy chocolates or gifts for each other, and we avoid restaurants like the plague today.  Our plan for tonight?  Grabbing a pizza, playing with our toddler, and then watching a TV show after he goes to bed.  And I’m thrilled.

I have plenty of single friends who loathe this day.  They bemoan that they are alone and don’t have anyone to celebrate the day with.  Are we ever truly alone?  We are all brothers and sisters through Christ!  No one is ever alone. 

Look at that last verse.  One may be overpowered.  Absolutely true.  Many of us are weak to temptation when it approaches us when we are “alone” and absent from other believers.  Two can defend themselves.  Again, absolutely true.  Having an accountability partner for whatever your sin is can help you to battle that sin.  A partner helps you to shoulder the burden.  I hate doing things alone, so I make sure, if I’m worried about something, I grab a partner to help me.  Two are much better than one when facing difficult situations.  I’m not talking romantic partners here.  I mentor a group of college women with another woman.  We lean on each other often when we face difficult situations with them.  It is so beneficial to have someone who has the same goals and values as you do.  She will see things and offer different perspectives on the problems than I see, and we can combine those to help the group come to positive solutions.

So what about the last line of the verse, how did we get to three?  Everything up until now in the chapter had been talking about being alone (one) and then having a partner (two).  The third cord is Christ.  Where two or more are gathered, he is there.  If you and your partner acknowledge Christ in your lives and how he works when you face those difficult situations, you will not be broken.

Strength in Vulnerability

Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.  Psalm 86:11-13

 

When did vulnerability get such a bad rap?  It’s easy to see because whenever we say the word ‘vulnerable,’ we assume it is a word of weakness.  Something is vulnerable to attack, or their emotions show their vulnerability.  Thus when we go out to the world, we always want to portray or be around those who display strength, but the truth is we all have vulnerability in some capacity.  Even those who may be good at hiding it have something that weakens them.

 

Lately, there has been a great change in how vulnerability is viewed, and rightfully so.  Words such as honest, authentic, and even competitive advantage have now been associated with this word.  Why?  Because it shows a rare quality.  It says, “I am not perfect, and while I am strong, I cannot make it all by myself.”

 

Christians should look to vulnerability as a badge of honor fully admitting we must rely on our Heavenly Father.  David had a clear understanding that while strong, he was incredibly vulnerable.  Thus, he relied on God and prayed for strength to be a better follower.  There is so much that we are depended on to do, and we do many things very well.  However, God did not intend for us to be solely independent.  In fact, He blessed us with vulnerability to rely on Him and others.  The greater that we are able to accept our imperfections, ugliness, and failures to God, the more able He is able to fill our voids and perfect, purify, and change our circumstances to that of triumph.

 

Our willingness to be vulnerable to God allows us to be strong to all.  We can achieve much greater things if we are willing to admit that we cannot fight the world without God by our side.  Who can you strengthen through your vulnerability?  How will you own your flaws to God?  My prayer is that we learn to find strength in vulnerability.  Amen.

Just Trust

Many of them will stumble;
    they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

 

Bind up this testimony of warning
    and seal up God’s instruction among my disciples.
I will wait for the Lord,
    who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob.
I will put my trust in him.  Isaiah 8:15-17

 

Late last year, I watched a sports segment about a little girl with leukemia who drew inspiration from her favorite football team.  As a result, she inspired a member of that very team with a simple phrase; just trust.  The other day I prayed being thankful to God for many things.  Thankful for a good home, good job, great friends, and an amazing family both at home and in church.  However, there came over me a level of sadness.  Not everyone is as fortunate as I have been, and many have suffered so much.  I prayed for them that God will give them comfort.  For those who are lost, I prayed they know there is a God who loves and cares for them so much that tomorrow will be a better day.

 

Yet in my heart, I struggled to relate to their suffering.  The closest I came to a struggle was living in my first apartment and not having any money or food other than butter, popcorn, and a hot air popcorn maker for a week.  I made it through that week, and have not looked back since.  Yet, my heart still ached for those whose struggles are far more than that.  It was then I remembered the words of this little girl on a sports preview show.  Just trust.  Just trust.

 

In a world with such uncertainty and grief and when all we can do is still not enough, we must learn to lay it all at the feet of our Heavenly Father.  As Christians, we are bound and driven to go as far as we can go to help those in need.  Yet we fall short for many valid reasons.  Where hearts, resources, and efforts end, God’s outreached arms begins.  When we think and wonder of what might be or how something will end, there comes that time when we have no other choice but to just trust God will provide and make a way.  Where can God take on your deepest sorrow?  Where can you rely more on God?  My prayer is that when we feel our efforts to help others fall short, we go to God in prayer and simply, “Just trust.”  Amen.