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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 4:10 NIV

Help! I’m falling!

And then it dawned on me – there is no one here to catch me!

It was a rude awakening to me that day as I gingerly got back up after stepping off a ladder having missed the last two rungs. A wave of vulnerability crashed over me as I realized once again how much has changed now that I am living alone for the first time in my life.

Since that day I have been more mindful about working with others to make sure I have safety nets in place. I have people around when I need help and I am also doing the same for others.

None of us can walk this journey alone!

We need others and they need us in all areas of our lives – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

I’ve been cruising along pretty comfortably for a few years now and then came a curve ball. Perhaps you have heard about it? It’s a global pandemic. Hmm, I like to be prepared for contingencies, but this is definitely not one I was prepared for! And my network of support – they are all struggling too!

A few weeks into this crisis as I watched my life savings crash with the market, I felt a wave of panic. My family has been impacted significantly financially and I always thought I’d be able to help them if things were tough; but that is questionable right now. Oh, how I wished my husband was here to help guide me through these thoughts and questions. He would know what to do. I started feeling like I was thrashing about like someone who is about to drown.

But God heard my cries and He sent help!

Not the government with financial help – He sent something incredibly more helpful. He sent the Holy Spirit who dwells in me.

The Holy Spirit prompted me to reach out to my friend and prayer partner for many years. For decades we had met weekly to pray for our families together. But as our circumstances changed and we were no longer living in the same city. our times to pray together became more infrequent. During this call, the Holy Spirit prompted us to make a commitment to each other that during this pandemic we would call each night before bed to pray together.

After praying together nightly for a few weeks now I am overcome with gratitude at how God answered my call for help. In many ways our circumstances are as bleak as when we started. This morning’s news report says that the next two weeks will be the hardest many have ever experienced. But I couldn’t be in a better place. The Holy Spirit has guided me to a posture of worship – joyfully offering praises with my prayer partner for who our God is.

He is our:

• Abba – our daddy who loves us more than we can imagine.
• Alpha and Omega – the beginning and the end- nothing surprises Him.
• Redeemer – we are Holy because of His sacrifice and have no reason to fear punishment.
• Comforter – while we may experience trials here on Earth – we never suffer them alone.
• Deliverer – He has promised us Eternal Life once we believed!

But mentally, spiritually and emotionally I could not get to this better place alone. God never intended for me to handle a global pandemic on my own! He sent my prayer partner to pray with me daily. I join my church family to worship corporately weekly and check on me when He prompts them to. Most importantly, He sent the Holy Spirit to live in me and to forever connect me with the body of Christ.

When I fall down, there will always be someone to help me up!

Dear Lord, thank You so much for loving us more than we could possibly ask for or imagine. Thank You for the tremendous gift of your Son and our resurrected lives! We praise You for all eternity! Amen.