Day 4: The Gift of Support

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Was anyone else crying by the end of today's study??..... The story of the mother who shared her struggles and then became victorious through it all was amazing! It's SO true! If she had borne that burden all alone, do you think she would have been victorious?

Today's study reiterated that our God is a God of community! He has created us to be communal--to commune with Him and with each other. It's a little out of our comfort zones, in a sense. Oh sure, some of us love fellowship and being with people! I, for one, gain energy when I'm around people. I love people! However, there is a difference in hanging out with people and in supporting each other. If we're going to support each other, build each other up, help one another, then we have to know each other! We have to be in each other's lives, having the same mind and goals in Christ! That is how Moses, Aaron, Hur and Joshua were able to work together, rely on God together and each do their part to bring victory! God doesn't need us to do these things. He calls us and challenges us to do these things so we will experience His community--the Church! We can grow in love and appreciation of others through all of this! The whole Kingdom benefits when we share our burdens, when we support each other and rely on God together!

This also involves letting go of pride. Now, Moses certainly could have told Aaron and Hur to go help Joshua fight, he'd be fine by himself. How many of us bare burdens like this? There are people available to help, but we feel our burden isn't heavy enough--there may be a greater need somewhere else. So, we send ready servants on their way! In today's study we were warned of two negative outcomes when we refuse to share our burdens: 1) We often lengthen the battle. And truthfully, victory can become an impossibility. 2) We cheat others of the joy of victory. There have been times when I've genuinely told someone I was more than willing to help them out in some way, and it's a real let down when they decline or make light of what I've offered them. Has this happened to anyone else??

Scripture is riddled with this idea of community. God, in three persons... What does that mean except community?! We were made in His image--a Community. One thing that is stressed at the church I attend is "Go be the church!" Church is not a building or a place or something we go "do" on Sundays. We are the church....always.


Do you have a support system within your ministry? in your personal life? If so, who are they and how do they support you? How can you be the Community, the Church to others?