01-28-13 Friendship

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

I love the book of Ecclesiastes. It is one book that raises honest gut-level questions - maybe questions we've all had at one time or another. It's a book of honesty and transparency from the author. Seems to me, qualities of a good friendship.

Two ARE better than one - it's community. It's how we were made.... God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. It is not good for us to be alone. Yes, there are times when it IS good to be alone, but we're not really every alone are we. The Lord is always with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. But when we are alone with Jesus, then we are learning to rest in Him - even though sometimes those times are healing times in our lives.. There is a place of rest and it is in Jesus.

We brings others into our lives so that we form relationships and learn how be a community. Jesus is always with us... so a cord of three strands is not easily broken. He interweaves between us and causes us to learn to be family. We are His family. Our 'real' family.

Two are better than one. When I fall, I can either stay down - or I can take the hand of one of my siblings and trust the Lord in them to raise us back up.