Pulling Together
The year was around 240 BC. A crowd watched in anticipation as the Greek engineer, Archimedes prepared to demonstrate an experiment that no one could believe. Archimedes claimed that he could drag an entire ship, on dry land, all by himself. In fact, he upped the claim by requesting the ship to be loaded down with cargo and passengers! Here is an account from the Greek historian Plutarch:
Archimedes chose for his demonstration a three-masted [cargo ship] of the royal fleet, which had been hauled ashore with immense labour by a large gang of men, and he proceeded to have the ship loaded with her usual freight and embarked a large number of passengers. He then seated himself at some distance away and without using any noticeable force, but merely exerting traction with his hand through a complex system of pulleys, he drew the vessel towards him with as smooth and even a motion as if she were gliding through the water.
Mestrius Plutarch
Archimedes accomplished something that seemed to be a miracle. An unbearable load was made bearable because of a pulley, or more importantly, a series of pulleys. Now, I don’t want to bore you with a science lesson but there is an amazing principle that we can learn here.
Spiritual Pulleys
A pulley in its basic form is simply a wheel over which you can loop a rope to lift objects more efficiently. Consider this:
If you needed to lift 100 lbs of weight and had one pulley, you would need to exert 100 lbs of force. But if you added a second pulley, the required force would be reduced to 50 lbs. If you added a combined total of four pulleys, the force required to lift the 100 lbs would be a mere 25 lbs!
The amazing lesson is that if you keep adding pulleys, the load keeps getting lighter.
This concept has been illustrated so clearly by you, our faithful friends. Over the past several weeks, you have helped us bear a tremendous load that was so unexpected. We have nothing but praise for God’s faithfulness during Sis. Rita’s surgery and ongoing recovery. In our time of need with such an emotional and financial load to carry, you have become our spiritual pulleys and we owe each of you such a debt of gratitude. Many of you have sacrificed your time, fasted meals and gave financially.
When we face a battle alone, God is still faithful but I am so glad that He gives us brothers and sisters who extend His hands and feet. I will readily admit that I don’t understand everything about how God chooses to work. James 5:16 says that the effectual fervent prayer of a [single] righteous man availeth much. While this is very true, there is also something very special that happens when God’s children join together for a specific need.
Working Together
In Acts chapter 12, we read of a church in distress. Herod was on a killing spree and the Apostle Peter was next on his list. Peter is arrested and delivered to the prison with 16 soldiers to guard him. It looks like this preacher isn’t going anywhere. But while Bro. Peter was settling down for the night in the prison, a prayer meeting was just getting started.
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Acts 12:5
One by one, the saints of God like spiritual pulleys, began to lift up their voices as they lifted Peter to the throne. I don’t know how long that prayer meeting lasted but I imagine that they began to get weary. And just about the time that they might have started feeling down, Peter started getting up. They had no way of knowing that across town, chains were falling off and prison doors were being opened!
As I mentioned in our last devotion, the Lord has certainly opened doors of opportunity throughout this trial in ways that we never would have imagined. If you are still praying for The Blythe Family, we sincerely thank you. This trial has become more bearable because of your support. Can I also encourage you to find someone around you and become their spiritual pulley? As 2020 gets into full swing, God’s people are facing the weight of so many spiritual burdens like never before.
You may feel that you are incapable of bearing the weight of someone else’s burden. Undoubtedly you feel suffocated by the weight of your own trial. The truth is that the hardest of trials give us the greatest capacity to offer hope and healing to others. Scripture confirms this very clearly:
3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
You have the capacity to help someone today. Why don’t you pick up the phone and make that call that you’ve been putting off? Why don’t you send that text of encouragement to the person who is on your mind right now? God demonstrates His love through us and burdens are made lighter when we all pull together.