The Glue That Binds Us Together

There's an old saying that the first thing a South African does in a new place is to secede. And there's a whole lot of truth in that statement.

So many communities have been torn apart by two difficult old men who simply could not agree and sit around one table. So many churches have been torn in two because one group sides with the minister or pastor, while the other runs as far away as possible.

In most cases there is no winner. On the contrary, God's image and that of his people suffers and usually lots of money also disappears at the same time.

This is not the way it was. Right at the beginning we used to get together a lot. We worked hard to realise the same dreams and achieved many successes together. It was really nice to have a good chat around the tables and to work on the same dream. Like Paul described the young Philippian Christians: 5I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present.

So what made us lose the fire and conviction here and there along the way? What made us not stand together anymore? Why are things different now than we started off together?

I strongly suspect that someone is putting all his energy into the destruction of relationships.

It's actually rather obvious, but did you know that a pipe always burst where it is weakest? It doesn't burst at the second weakest place; no, that will be next. It doesn't matter where in a very long pipe the weakest place is, that is where it will burst first.

Relationships are one of the most sensitive spots in our make-up. It's as if the devil, like a boxer, tries his best everywhere he goes to strike you on the kidneys and to attack people's relationships. He knows that if he can force a wedge between two people, the result is normally catastrophic.

Just look around you at all the dead bodies of destroyed relationships lying around. We don't even have to look far. Look close to you. It hurts. It's eina!

Why does it look like that?

If you look closely at the verse again, you will see that we have to stand together behind God's message, but this is something we can't get right. On our own we only feed the ego and when we get together the result is my will against yours and the strongest wins.

God and his Word is the glue that binds us together. Without the glue our relationships get ripped apart easily. Are you struggling in a relationship? Patch it with glue, God's glue.

Make a new commitment to the people around you. Work on your relationships with everything in you.

Bible Reading

   Philippians 1:5

Reflection

What do your relationship look like?

Where is the problem?

What role does God and his word play in this?

Prayer

Father, it is difficult for us. Our relationships are not going well. On our own we can't manage to get it right. Please help us to make your Word the foundation of our lives and relationships again. Amen

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 By Gerjo Ben Van Der Merwe


Article Source: The Glue That Binds Us Together