So, if you are reading this on Saturday morning, I am actually on my way to Chicago for a girls day with 3 of my 4 best friends from high school. Since this month's devotions are on love, I thought I would explore the importance of our friends.
Friends are a priceless gift from God. Friends that have known you your whole life just share a bond that can't easily be explained.
I have shared before that my dad died young. My mom was 40 when she became a widow. She and my dad were inseparable and I though that was great when I was growing up; but when Dad died, it left Mom in a lonely state. When Andrew and I got married I was so shocked because she told me then: don't make the same mistake, you make time for your friends. I think we all went through those years of running after kids, and jobs and life to where it was harder to get together (We have 8 kids between the 5 of us) but now as the last of those kids are all seniors in high school this year, it is getting easier to schedule time to see each other again. We still haven't successfully gotten all 5 in the same place at the same time, but we will.
When you are an adult, and look for friends we seem to have a set of criteria. God tells us we should look for friends who won't lead us astray (1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals") When we are little though, you pick someone and think, "Yeah, I like you" and away you go. It is amazing to me how much you keep having in common with those friends. I know this isn't always the case, but again, thanks to the technology we call facebook, I see so many childhood friends that are still close.
So, today, I am offering up a few verses to ponder.
The first is on how the Bible says we are to treat our friends.
Ephesians 4:29-32 says: 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
These girls I am spending the day with have been my friends for over 30 years, one of them over 40 years (Wow, just realized that myself). You know kids fight and argue. We were typical, we all had our spats too, but we need to forgive and forget and walk on. As I have gotten older these four are such a great source of encouragement to me and I hope I am to them as well.
The next thing I want to look at is how to be a friend. The simple answer to that is to just be there. In our busy lives, just knowing someone cares enough to take the time to say, "how are you?" is a big deal. I had a disappointing doctor's appointment this week. On my way home I got a text: "How are you doing? Hope everything is ok". It made me smile, it made my heart smile. My thoughts on this is, when you are feeling led to reach out to someone, DO IT.
The last thing on my list is to treasure your friendships- they are truly gifts from God.
Proverbs 27:17 says; As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 11:14 says: For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Proverbs 77:17 says: A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
I think God makes it pretty clear, he meant for us to lean on each other, and to cherish one another.
I know I have focused on my high school friends today, I have so many friends that I have picked up along my journey and they are all important to me. Friends from different places we have lived, friends from Robert's school years, and friends I have through work. Please understand, all these friendships are important.
So, I challenge you today to say a special prayer of thanks for those people God brought along beside you and then get ahold of them and let THEM know you are thankful for them.
And what could be more appropriate than Michael W Smith's Friends.
Friends are a priceless gift from God. Friends that have known you your whole life just share a bond that can't easily be explained.
I have shared before that my dad died young. My mom was 40 when she became a widow. She and my dad were inseparable and I though that was great when I was growing up; but when Dad died, it left Mom in a lonely state. When Andrew and I got married I was so shocked because she told me then: don't make the same mistake, you make time for your friends. I think we all went through those years of running after kids, and jobs and life to where it was harder to get together (We have 8 kids between the 5 of us) but now as the last of those kids are all seniors in high school this year, it is getting easier to schedule time to see each other again. We still haven't successfully gotten all 5 in the same place at the same time, but we will.
When you are an adult, and look for friends we seem to have a set of criteria. God tells us we should look for friends who won't lead us astray (1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals") When we are little though, you pick someone and think, "Yeah, I like you" and away you go. It is amazing to me how much you keep having in common with those friends. I know this isn't always the case, but again, thanks to the technology we call facebook, I see so many childhood friends that are still close.
So, today, I am offering up a few verses to ponder.
The first is on how the Bible says we are to treat our friends.
Ephesians 4:29-32 says: 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
These girls I am spending the day with have been my friends for over 30 years, one of them over 40 years (Wow, just realized that myself). You know kids fight and argue. We were typical, we all had our spats too, but we need to forgive and forget and walk on. As I have gotten older these four are such a great source of encouragement to me and I hope I am to them as well.
The next thing I want to look at is how to be a friend. The simple answer to that is to just be there. In our busy lives, just knowing someone cares enough to take the time to say, "how are you?" is a big deal. I had a disappointing doctor's appointment this week. On my way home I got a text: "How are you doing? Hope everything is ok". It made me smile, it made my heart smile. My thoughts on this is, when you are feeling led to reach out to someone, DO IT.
The last thing on my list is to treasure your friendships- they are truly gifts from God.
Proverbs 27:17 says; As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Proverbs 11:14 says: For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Proverbs 77:17 says: A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
I think God makes it pretty clear, he meant for us to lean on each other, and to cherish one another.
I know I have focused on my high school friends today, I have so many friends that I have picked up along my journey and they are all important to me. Friends from different places we have lived, friends from Robert's school years, and friends I have through work. Please understand, all these friendships are important.
So, I challenge you today to say a special prayer of thanks for those people God brought along beside you and then get ahold of them and let THEM know you are thankful for them.
And what could be more appropriate than Michael W Smith's Friends.
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