7Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. 8There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. “For whom then do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.
9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and doesn’t have another to lift him up. 11Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one keep warm alone? 12If a man prevails against one who is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
I recently led a couple through a beautiful vow renewal service in celebration of their 25 years of marriage. As part of the service, I read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 as they braided together a rope of three strands. The strands of the rope represented the husband, the wife, and God. The symbolism was found in the fact that relationships which choose to intertwine God in everything they are individually and together will not easily be broken. This couple could easily point to the many ways God provided powerfully in their lives throughout their marriage. They were deeply grateful that God chose to bring them through the complications of married life to this point where they could look back on its many seasons and be grateful for his guiding presence every step of the way. If you are married, remember that a triple-braided cord is not easily broken and that God is the only way to build that strength to weather any storm into your marriage.
Whether or not you are married, these verses provide a great foundation for any relationship in life. We are not meant to live life in isolation. We are made for relationships by a relational God. He calls us to weave his presence and love into every relationship in our lives. Every relationship with a friend, work colleague, neighbor, and family member should have God’s presence and love clearly interwoven throughout.
How is God calling you to weave his love into your relationships?
There may be people with whom you maintain a relationship who do not live for Jesus Christ. How can you weave the love of God into your relationship with them?