Truth from Ecclesiastes

I will never stop being amazed at the relevance of Scripture. You can read a passage a thousand times, even know the chapter and verse, but then something happens in real life and the Scripture jumps into your mind.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

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.

I have always read these verses as the value of friendships. However, being the caretaker of Linda battling kidney stones in this COVID-19 world where the medical community is overwhelmed and their hands are tied, has given these verses a whole new meaning to me.

Linda was in the hospital for 5 days in the beginning of April with massive pain from kidney stones and their complications. All the hospital could do was to stabilize her, send her home on way too many drugs and tell her that she needs surgery because of the size of the stones, but surgeries are forbidden at this time.

So, here we are 2+ months later, sleep deprived from taking way too many pills at all hours of the night, exhausted and overwhelmed. Today I asked myself how do people who are alone survive this type of madness? That would be tragic.

Immediately this scripture came to mind. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. In our marriage we have had multiple opportunities to be each other’s caretaker with medical issues. I thank our Heavenly Father for a partner to be there in the storms of life. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

I have always thought the verse, A cord of three strands is not quickly broken, was a great statement about God in a relationship, but in our current situation it really fits. The two of us alone might have broken, but we have the Third Cord to hold us together. Praise His Name!