Quick brain teaser question for you all to be thinking about while you read: What word can go before or after these three words ? Bridge, skipping, and swing. If you can’t work it out straight away then hopefully there will be some clues coming up.

See below for a part of the Bible titled: God’s Knot – The Cord of three strands.

Throughout life there are many threads that intertwine and when braided together create something much stronger. There is a long tradition of using a cord in a Celtic marriage ceremony, to symbolise the binding together of the husband and wife’s separate lives and the commitment they’re making together. Literally “tying the knot”!

We use ropes or cords for so many other things without even thinking about it – to guide us, to lead us, we even build bridges out of them. We depend on them and put them under a lot of pressure. And because of the way they are formed, they very rarely let us down.

Marriage to each other is another new strand of life, blessed by God as a powerful binding agent – pure love, that now runs between the couple, and will keep them strong. The verses in Ecclesiastes remind us that “a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”   

The number three comes up often in the Bible as being very powerful. The holy trinity,(God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Helper, the Holy Spirit) the holy family (Mary, Joseph and Jesus) and 3 being the number of days Jesus fought against death.

As a couple make this commitment to each other they can be stronger together for each other, as well as for their friends and family. We know how generous and caring we can all be, and with the right support in place that only makes us stronger together as a community. When one is having a rubbish day, the other has promised to love their spouse, care for them and support them. And vice versa!

Prayer for married couples

We pray for strength in adversity, for love in despair, for togetherness when loneliness threatens, and above all for peace and understanding of God’s blessings for us now and always. Amen.

Ecclesiastes 4 verses 9-12 ;“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! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”