May 2 | Ecclesiastes 4:4-12
DAILY READING
Ecclesiastes 4:4-12
REFLECTION
“A cord of three strands is not easily broken”
by Mary Kate Hipp
This refrain is not unfamiliar in Christian circles. We often hear this spoken at weddings or on greeting cards sent to friends. But what of it?
When I was little, my mom made sure to do my hair all cute before school. My favorite of all the hairstyles was braids. It took an extra second to do, but I loved them anyways! I practiced braiding on my American Girl Dolls over and over so I could perfect the look myself. I would get frustrated and just take two strands of hair, twist them together, and hope for the best. To no avail, my “braids” would quickly fall out.
What makes braids work? Three strands. When three strands are used, braids seldom fall apart.
What the author of Ecclesiastes is getting at is that the body of Christ, when united, cannot be easily broken. Not only should the body of Christ be united with one another, but with Christ. From the very beginning, God calls us to be in relationship with Him and with others. This three-stranded cord business is a matter of His creation design. We were made for these relationships.
What is important about this unity is that, much like my braiding skills, it takes effort and it takes practice. As we work towards this new season at UALC of building a house together, effort and practice are required. As physically building something (like our church campuses) requires effort, commitment, time, and prayer, so does “building” this three-stranded cord. We must strive and work for this return to creation-design of togetherness. Alone we can do so little. Together, we can accomplish much for the Kingdom. In Genesis 3, the sin of the woman was committed alone. She was tempted alone. In community (with God and others) there is strength for the Kingdom. In our togetherness, we stand against temptation. In togetherness, we return to our creation call.
What does returning to the creation call look like for you? How will you take steps today, this week, throughout this series, and beyond to return to your creation call?
PRAYER PRACTICE
Lord, reveal to me now how I am to return to your creation call. What steps am I to take today toward this? Soften my heart as we continue with this together campaign. Amen.
