Thursday’s Devotion: Two are Better than One

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV)   Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:  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.

The Message version of these verses say, “It's better to have a partner than go it alone.    Share the work, share the wealth.  And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there's no one to help, tough!”

I had a conversation with someone yesterday about how difficult it was for this person to get up by herself if she should fall.  This is a problem for a number of our senior members.  On numerous occasions I’ve heard about one falling and remaining on the ground outside or on the floor inside for hours before being discovered. Many seniors have had great loves in their lives but are now widowed and live alone. I realize how blessed I am to be in a loving relationship with a wonderful person.  Joe is someone with whom I can share the work and the wealth and who will pick me up should I fall in any way.  When God made Adam, he saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone. God made us to be in relationships.  We’re to be in relationship with God and with other people. He didn't design us to go it alone.  We are born into some relationships. Others we make on our own. Becoming close to another person takes a willingness to trust, to share, to help, and to risk the hurt of loss. Yet a loving relationship with a spouse, partner or good friend makes all that worthwhile.  1 John chapter 4 contains some beautiful verses on love: ⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. …..¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Dear God, we give thanks for the love you have for us and the love you bring into our lives through earthly relationships.  Please help us in our relationships to love others as you love us. Amen.