The Three Strand Cord
Do you have relationships that are important to you, yet they feel like they could use some strength? Like there is something missing?
Is that relationship your marriage? Is it your relationship with yourself?
Is the missing piece Jesus?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 tells us, “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.”
When it comes to your relationship with yourself, is Jesus invited?
When it comes to your marriage, is Jesus part of your bond?
When it comes to your parent-child relationship, do you interact with your kids with Jesus by your side?
When it comes to your friendships and your relationships with other sisters in Christ, do they see Jesus in you?
Because we don’t visibly see Jesus, it can be easy for us to fall into the dailiness of life and go about our business in our own human way.
We go about our duties, interact with others, conduct business, and fill our calendars far too often without Jesus coming to mind.
God tells us we are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. These commandments I give to you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:5-9
In other words, God should be on our minds first and always. Is this even possible?? I would say our best example of this, aside from Jesus himself, would be Paul.
After his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul’s life was forever fundamentally changed, and everything he did from that moment on, he did with God in mind.
While living a life as Paul did, a life of a three strand cord, may seem easier said than done, we can start right now to make habits that bring Jesus to mind throughout our days, and allow Him to influence our thoughts, our decisions, and our actions toward others.
Begin with your relationship with Jesus. Do you have one? Is it casual or only in passing? Start here. Commit to spending time with Him daily, and make it achievable so that you won’t throw in the towel like a New Year’s resolution 😉
Spend 10 minutes in the morning thanking God for who He is. Ask Him to reveal more of himself to you. Ask Him to guide you Scripture, friends, wise counsel, a church, or whatever else will help you keep your eyes on Him. As the 10 minutes becomes a habit, increase your dedicated time every few days. Before you know it, you are spending a full hour with Him, and He is on your mind throughout your day.
What about your marriage? Do you and your husband make Jesus the third strand in your marriage cord? Do you each have a relationship with him separately, and honor Him together? Do you follow His direction for structure in a home? Do you seek Him in your decision making? Are you a couple that lives a life as an example of who Jesus is and His relationship with His Church?
If not, it’s time to spend some time in prayer, and time to have a conversation with your husband. Be careful not to force your husband into anything. You wouldn’t want him to force anything on you, so extend the same honor to him. Tell him what’s on your mind and the two of you make a commitment to put Jesus in the center of your marriage.
Are there other issues in the marriage that will make this conversation difficult? Or maybe some hurts or brokenness that make you want to not even have a conversation in the first place? Seek some wise counsel from Scripture and other trusted people in your life. Work on repairing your heart so that you can repair your feelings toward your husband. Focusing on Jesus and praying that your husband will do the same can work wonders on your marriage all on its own.
Is Jesus your guide when it comes to parenting your children? Are you coming alongside them to show who He is? Are you a living example of how Jesus interacted with others when He lived on Earth?
Your children cannot inherit your faith like they can hair color or eye color; they can, however, learn from your influence. Model for them making Jesus the strand that keeps you strong through whatever life has for you. Model grace, humility, laughter, joy, being present, providing protection for them, and being a safe place to land.
And what about your relationships with others? Do they see Jesus in you? Do you treat others with respect,even when you don’t see eye to eye? Do you demonstrate the love of Jesus, even to those who don’t believe in Him? Do you love like Jesus? Does your heart break for what breaks His heart? Do you rejoice in what makes Him rejoice? Are you able to guide others to who they are in Christ and cheer them on as they go along their journey?
When we keep Jesus as our third strand in our relationships, we create a strength that can’t be broken. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
