Good morning,
We are entering the season of winter, and that said, just yesterday I saw a mom trekking on the side of the road with a young child on a plastic sled in tow. When I was a child on a sled with my siblings, there was something to be said not for how we started, but for how we finished. Did everyone make it to the bottom of the hill, intact and in one piece? Was there a hooligan or two on the way down that was blocking progress?
There is something to be said for finishing a race.
When sledding with my sibs and friends, sometimes I’d hit a mogul and be launched off a sled. There, halfway down the hill, I’d help my brother get back in his sled and ride down to the bottom of the hill together. Admittedly, there were occasions when I played the role of the middle of the hill sled stopper.
Like a sledder, the writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us of several important advantages that come from having others sit in on the race of life with us. Solomon set forth the principle that “two are better than one” when he wrote:
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.
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 (Ecc. 4:9-11)
During times of difficulty, a companion is there to “help the other up” (v. 10). When the wind at the top of the hill froze our fingers, friends huddled together at the top of the hill, or just found a double-sized sled! Finally, during danger, (Solomon suggested) that two can defend themselves against an assailant. Those whose lives are woven together can possess great strength.
Thank you, in advance, for those who are banding together this coming Saturday evening: braving the elements to serve travelers in the Town of Kingston. I’d say, it’s a great group that has come together for the Kingston Luminaries – we’ve been working on Christmas music, and our folks will be giving out hot chocolate in 2s.
Point is, with all our weaknesses and frailties, we need the strong support and security of a community of believers in Jesus. What I see over and over again is how people at our church press on together as He leads us.
This Sunday, Frank and the team will be facilitating worship, and then I’ll begin a new sermon series over Christmas and into the New Year titled, “A Thrill of Hope.” Look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
In Him,
Seth
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