Throughout my five years and almost eight months of marriage, there have been times where I received this one question from my wife: How can I help you? She may ask this question because I was struggling with putting something together, trying to remedy an issue, thinking about what I am wearing for work, etc. More times than naught, I usually say that I am okay and I will figure out. On the other hand, there have been times where I have inquired her opinion and received the help I needed to accomplish a task. If truth were told, we have all either said I don’t need help when it comes to something or can you help me with something. Then, there are times like the death of a loved one, overcoming a financial obligation where your money cannot be of help and other instances where you cannot help a person in the way you desire. However, God through His Apostle Paul, has provided us all with a way we can help one another out. Let’s journey to today’s scriptural text.
Within today’s focal book, the book of Ephesians, we find Paul just ministering to the church at Ephesus about putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10 – 17). After laying down this foundation, he goes on and ministers to them and us on today on how we can help one another out. He tells us through the Message Bible this: “Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters”. Oftentimes, ladies and gentlemen, we may not have the financial solution for someone’s financial issues. We may not have the emotional solution for someone’s emotional issues. We may not have the mental solution for someone’s mental issues. However, God provides us with a way where we can help them indirectly, but directly and that’s through prayer. Paul tells us to pray hard and pray long. There are times where “breath prayers” are good to get your morning right or when you are driving to work or riding the Metro, but then there are times where you need to tarry on behalf of your brother/sister or towards a situation you are dealing with. With that being said, you have to pray hard and pray long! He lets us know that as we pray hard and long, we ought to pray for our brothers and sisters! One thing I do know is that there is strength in numbers! There is strength when you have believers coming together, touching and agreeing that things will occur (Matthew 18)! There’s power when you link up with your brother and link up with your sister! There’s power when you intercede for one another! When you intercede for others, God will open up Heaven’s doors for them and eventually, for you (Job 42)!
Paul did not just stop there as far as us helping one another out. He finishes the text by saying, “Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out”. One of the greatest lessons I have learned in life through my college advisor is to “not lose sight”. My colleagues and I use to laugh when he said that, but the point he made was relevant. There are times where we get frustrated with life’s issues and because of that, we tend to lose focus or do something else. What Paul is ministering to you and to me on today is to maintain our alertness. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us “to be sober and vigilant because the Devil is out seeking whom he may devour”. If you lose sight for a split second, he’s ready to pounce on you. Jesus reminds us to “watch as well as pray”. It’s on us to maintain focus and not lose our grip! How can we make sure that we do not lose our grip?
The text concludes with Paul saying, “Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out”. After reading this scripture on today, I have a newfound respect for people who are more times than naught the “Jokey Smurfs” of the world. Eight times out of ten, you see these types at your workplace, your place of worship, and even at home, and you wonder why they always jovial and making light of stuff. When you have a jovial spirit or a loving spirit, the intent is to keep people laughing and thinking about good things, not negative things. Paul encourages us in helping one another out to keep our brother’s spirits up and our sister’s spirits up because when we do that, we stay in line together and we do not lose anyone. I want to let each of you know whose reading how much I appreciate your sentiments, encouragement, laughs, and anything else you have provided me because it has kept my spirits up and has encouraged me to keep writing. In closing, encourage someone you care about and/or love and let them know how much you appreciate them for their laughs or love because they are helping you out! They are keeping your spirits up so you will not fall! Let’s keep one another up in prayer and thank God for the friendships/relationships we have with our family and friends!
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