Today's Reading:

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Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 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.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Friendship and godly relationships are a beautiful gift of grace from God. In a world of problems and isolation, the Lord provides friends and partners, so we do not have to struggle alone. Lifting each other up is an expression of God’s care and provision. This applies to marriage, but it also touches close friendships and our Christian community. Whether it is your spouse or a close friend, God often brings people into our lives when we stumble. We are not meant to walk through trials, failures, or spiritual loss by ourselves.

No matter where you are, on a mountaintop like Solomon or feeling the valley of the shadow of death and a divided heart, God is still calling you back to wholehearted devotion. Who has been there for you when you have “fallen down”? Who has lifted you up, spoken the truth in love, or just walked beside you in a hard season? Today is a good day to write them a note or send a message thanking them for being a blessing in your life. Let them know how God has used them in your story.

This week’s passages gave an account from Proverbs on the wisdom of relationships, humility, self-control, integrity, leadership, and the value of a godly woman. The book of Ecclesiastes wrestled with the emptiness of life “under the sun.” With the conclusion, that our true purpose is found in fearing God, keeping His commands, and enjoying His simple gifts. Kings and Chronicles showed us Solomon at the highest point of his reign, full of wisdom, wealth, and honor. Note that the visit from the Queen of Sheba portrayed his wealth and kingdom.

Solomon began his spiritual decline when his heart moved from God. He married foreign wives, leading the kingdom to division under his son Rehoboam. Rehoboam’s foolish decisions brought the rise of idolatry. This showed how quickly blessings can turn to judgment when the heart drifts from the Lord.

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