Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 is a scripture that is used many times in weddings. The threefold cord in the marriage is the husband, the wife, and the Holy Spirit.

Every relationship you have has one invisible partner and that’s the cord that ties the relationship together. Whether it’s a marriage relationship, a church relationship, a friendship or a business partnership, there is an invisible force that is the third cord that binds them together. If the partners are in agreement with the principles of God and have allowed the relationship to be based on God's Word, then that third cord in the relationship will be the Holy Spirit. This opens the door for blessings from God.

Sadly, not all relationships are bound together by God. It’s amazing what ties some people together. Recently a lady was telling me about a long time friendship that she had with a neighbor. Her neighbor was moving to another state and she was concerned that this would terminate the relationship.

I asked her what it was that she and her friend had in common, only to hear the surprising response. She said, "Once a week we get together and have tea and we discuss what’s happened recently in the life of ‘John Doe.’ We’ve been doing this for years. It’s our own personal soap opera." When I asked her why they always talked about "John Doe," she replied, "That’s easy. We both have a mutual hatred for him. He has hurt us both and we enjoy discussing his failures."

It’s sad, but the third cord that held these two ladies together in their friendship was a spirit of hatred. Some are tied together by unforgiveness or rebellion. This should not be.

Every relationship worth having should be bound by the Spirit of God. And then instead of the relationship being a weight that will lead to destruction, it will allow the two to withstand evil and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

A relationship based on godly principles and sealed by the binding of the Holy Spirit will be refreshing, peaceful and never burdensome.