Hand in Hand

Your hand in mine and mine in yours.

The Lord our God is One as we read last month, and yet our God is not alone. In Him resides Father, Son and Holy Ghost, three in One. A perfect unity in God’s oneness and a perfect Love poured out upon His creation by God Who would not see man walk alone. Forgive me if I ramble a bit but when I think of 2 it is hardly clear cut; for 2 speaks of companionship and testimony and is seen in so many ways. Right in the very, very beginning of the creation of the world, the Lord God said, “ It is not good for man to be alone.” And so He made Eve and there were 2. And we sing: “The animals went in two by two. Hurrah Hurrah. The animals went in two by two.” You know the childhood song as the elephant and the kangaroo went into the Ark. I loved it! Two is better than one. Solomon understood this truth.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down his friend can help him. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him 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.

It makes sense, it sounds so wise and yet how often are we tempted to go it alone. It’s so much easier to do it my way, to just get on with it. And the world will teach you all sorts of things about how good it is to be strong on your own, to heal yourself and depend on yourself alone, however the Lord reminds us, No! Do not lean on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Me. (Proverbs 3.) Your understanding on its own is not enough. As believers let’s be sure to understand that it is not just about doing something in two’s, if you have a partner all is well. There has to be a unity and a desire to work together to accomplish a Godly purpose. To be of one accord. As a child of God we are never, ever alone. God has given us His Holy Spirit who will never leave us and will always be alongside to guide and teach and strengthen. It is for us to work with Him, He makes us 2. We are workers with Him and anything we do apart from Him is foolish and will never bear the fruit it would, had we not allowed the Holy Spirit to lead. It is good to go in twos but it is as important to understand how the Holy Spirit is the One we depend on.

People will always let other people down. I will let you down, and you will let me down, we won’t intend to, but we will - however with the Holy Spirit we cannot fail. Not only will we not fail but we will accomplish so, so much more. Imagine the strength of one to put 1000 to flight but how much more when two, empowered by the Holy Spirit can put 10,000 to flight.

Deuteronomy 32:30

How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

How amazing to know that with the Holy Spirit we can do all that is needed, all that is required as God leads us by His Spirit. With Him all things are possible and as we work together with Him we will accomplish extraordinary things for God. I don’t know about you but I want to do extraordinary things, I want my life to be full of God instances and Godly works. And so as I reflect on the number 2; Two voices are better than one. Alone my thoughts are guided by my understanding, my needs, my assessment and my opinion. It is not necessary that I am wrong or foolish but how easily I am swayed by emotion. I may look at something and see it so clearly in my mind but when I pray about it or ask a friend, I am suddenly aware of a fuller picture. Seeing things I had not perhaps seen before. Things that will sway my thinking and alter my response. Jesus didn’t do things off his own bat, He always asked His Father.(John 5:19)

Sometimes in life we do have to act quickly, there isn’t time to think too much but mostly if we would stop and just pause a moment, I believe we would speak more wisely and act more kindly. Consult with the Holy Spirit, He is always there and always wise. He is always willing to guide us and our decisions are important to Him. God is about love, about kindness, consideration for others, and peace. We were created to live in peace and at peace with each other. God created us for Himself, for His pleasure. (Revelation 4:11) How easily we forget that and get caught up in the things of the world that pull us away from fellowship with Him and ultimately, fellowship with each other. I know when I see the signs and they are often anxiousness and a feeling of discontent, I am living “alone”, I have pushed the Holy Spirit away and am doing it my way. It’s not a conscious decision, I just drift away and suddenly realize that I have drawn away while God has been trying to draw me close. I am sure I am not alone in this and perhaps that is why we need each other so much. We need encouragement and sometimes a real prod!

Paul urges us to understand that in Christ we live and have our being, separate from Him we are incomplete and disconnect from His saving, transforming power. (Acts 17:28) Oh how wise was Solomon who understood. Sadly, he allowed his own desires and greed to nullify the awesome wisdom of God in his life but he did retain a shred and we must benefit and be encouraged and enriched by that which he held dear and shared. Proverbs is a wealth of wisdom and in Ecclesiastes he summed it up.

Ecclesiastes 12.13

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments.

In Old Testament language that can sound quite austere but in reality what he is saying is “Love the Lord and Love each other.” Value the help of a friend, nurture the love of your spouse and seek the fellowship of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The number 2 is not magic but it speaks of unity, of double strength and as Elisha sought a double portion of Elijah’s anointing let us recognize the power in double. Two was far better than one and he went on to do all the miracles that Elijah performed and more. Ministering under the anointing of the Holy Spirit is so wonderful, so exciting and invigorating but when in partnership with another it is even more so. You experience together and can testify, give witness to all that God has done. The spotlight is on what He has done and not on you. What wisdom when Jesus sent the seventy out 2 by 2 to those places he was to visit. He knew the comfort and strength they would afford each other, and how their courage would be multiplied.

I always remember standing at the top of some steep stairs with my friend. She had a very wonky knee and a stick and I had a thundering headache, no way would I have ventured into that meeting on my own but bolstered by her determination we went. What a beautiful powerful meeting as God met with us and ministered to those in need. It was God’s presence and power that sustained and enabled us but I was so grateful for my friend who was willing to go with me and I with her. And so the words of Deuteronomy are etched on my mind to remind me that no matter what - 2 is better than one. Not just 2 of us, that is not where the secret lies but 2 of us united in purpose, God’s purpose together with God is good, in fact it is very good. Being of one accord, united in fellowship and in agreement of God’s truth enables us to stand. You build my faith and I build yours and together we build God’s Kingdom as the Holy Spirit directs and enables us.

My prayer:

Father thank you for all my sisters in Christ. Thank you that together we press forward to run our race. Thank you that we can hold each other up and prod each other on as we journey in faith working out our salvation and experiencing You. Fill us all afresh with your Holy Spirit that we may grow together in knowledge and understanding of You. Amen