“Department of the Redundancy Department, can I help you?”There I lay on my side, in bed, half asleep. A million thoughts going on inside my mind. Nothing really important…just thoughts. Then something grabs my attention. You know, one of those things that once you start thinking about it, you can’t really stop until it all makes sense. Well, there I was, head smashed halfway into my pillow, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. My breath.
Last weekend, Danielle was sick with sinus, flu, bug, congestion stuff and on Friday night she laid there in bed not being able to breathe out of either nostril, and it hurt breathing out of her mouth. It wrecked her whole body. I didn’t get whatever Danielle had (knock on wood). And tonight, I’m feeling just fine, but for some reason, I’m only breathing out of one nostril. I know what you’re thinking…“You can’t be serious? Is he really talking about nostrils?” Anyway, humor me for a moment. I’m pretty sure the other one wasn’t blocked, but for some reason, my breath preferred my left nostril last night.
Anyway, so I started thinking…which always seems to lead into dangerous territory. If we only need one nostril to breathe well, then why do we have two? Well, the longer I lay there, I figured it out. Redundancy. Why do we have two nostrils? Because they occasionally get clogged. They get gooped up with junk from who knows where. And when one nostril ceases to function for a time, well, the other is there to step up. (Unless you’re my wife who has an uncanny ability to get them both stopped up at once.)
This is when God began to cultivate my thoughts. How amazing it is that God’s truth permeates every aspect of life—everything from human physiology to practical application for His people.
“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20
“Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.” Mark 6:7
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.” Luke 10:1
Jesus sent his disciples and his followers out two by two. Why? Because he knew what would happen eventually. He knew, somewhere along the way, one of them would get gooped up from life’s junk. One would cease to function for a time. “If one falls down his friend can help him up. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” Ecclesiastes 4:10,12 Jesus knew we would need backup. We would need someone in our life to help us along our journey.
I’ve always heard the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians, “[The God] who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” Isn't that awesome!! God provides backup when we need it, and then when we have the opportunity, we get to be someone’s backup in return. What an amazing privilege!!
Why do we have two ears, two eyes, two kidneys, two lungs, or four chambers in our heart? Two ears? We can hear just fine with one, but with two we can sense the direction from which the sound comes. God knew that when we have true friends around, we, too, can sense the direction of the softest sounds. How about His whisper? Ever have trouble hearing it? Ask your closest of friends and listen. It’s there. We can see fine with one eye. But with two, we gain perspective. With true friends around, we no longer see in just two dimensions. We’ve gained perspective. Life in 3D!! Depth of field. Isn’t it a lot easier to see when something’s going to smack you in the face, when you have both eyes open? I know there have been numerous times a friend has kept me from getting knocked off my feet, just because they were there with me. Can you think of a time? Probably. Maybe even two or three.
What a wonderful feeling to be able to rest in the comfort of a backup. Doesn’t it put your mind at ease, knowing if you mess up, there’s someone there? Furthermore, what a privilege it is to be a backup. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17 God knew we would mess up, forget, tear down, doubt, fall, fall again, and get gooped up. God knew we should have a backup. He knew we would need it.
The world is full of backups. Do you know the world’s largest manufacturer of backups? The Church. It’s how God designed it. He placed it on this earth to seek the lost and to love each other. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
Have you been a backup lately? Someone to be leaned on in time of trouble? Have you needed a backup? Has someone comforted you with the same comfort they received from God? Have you thanked them? Maybe you should. Maybe I should. Maybe we should rest in the peace and comfort of knowing we’re not doing this alone.
Maybe, tonight, I’ll let my right nostril take the reins, and give my left one a break.
