Though this article’s title may make one wonder if its contents are about M. Night Shymalan’s mystery thriller with supernatural overtones that revolves around a man who learns something extraordinary about himself after a devastating accident, I can assure you, it is not.
This title is taken from the Holy and infallible word of God, wherein it is recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes, where the speaker before the assembly (ekklesia) states in chapter 4 verse 12, that a threefold cord is not easily broken. The imagery I have when I read this text is the rope that is made up of coir (coconut fibers) and in order for me to break that, I need to separate the strands from one another before attempting to break it. Failure to separate the strands before trying to break the cord is usually futile.
I remember sharing from this text in the wedding reception of my brother, Remo’s and also in the wedding reception of a family friend. The premise of the message from this text was this. With a divorce rate so high and ever increasing, homes are broken and lives are shattered. Why is something that God hates (and yes God hates divorce) so prevalent in our times today? The Bible has the answer and we can see the relevance to this in this text.
You and your spouse are two persons made one (in marriage) and the two of you should be inter-twined with God and made one. It is God who is the third person in your marriage, but he needs to be wrapped in with you two, so that your relationships with Him and with each other is solidified. We should not let God, the third person in your marriage be a third person in our lives as well. This is the grounds for separation and weaknesses in marriages. It is only befitting that I share the words of a song by Cliff Richard that I used to listen to when I was growing up –
You and me and Jesus; Jesus, me and you
On our own, we’d break; with Him we will make it through
Jesus, take us, make us what you want us both to be
I give myself to her; she gives herself to me.
However, note that this does not apply only to a marriage relationship but to any relationship. It may be a parent-child relationship, a business partnership, an employer-employee relationship, a teacher-student relationship, etc. In all of these, it is imperative to ensure that the one who wraps around the relationship and strengthens it must be God.
Isn’t it interesting that even in the very essence of God, we see this to be evident – One God, three persons as God the Father, Jesus the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
The question that remains then is “Are you/Am I unbreakable?”
Ecclesiastes 4:12 (KJV)
12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
For a related reading, see Habit #6 – Partner with God and his people
