Friendship

There are lots of memes being posted. Some are funny. Some are vulgar and offensive. Some are very unscriptural. Some reflect my political views. Some are just the opposite of my views. Some are way too close to the truth to be amusing. Then, there those about true friendship. I love these because I do indeed have one of those friends who is the David to my Jonathan. (If you aren't familiar with the term, it comes from the Bible.) We have been consistent friends across 20+ years and 4 states. She is my friend, sister, mother, mentor all rolled into one person.  We have shared triumphs, trials and tragedies. We have cried together, prayed fervently and laughed hysterically. I jokingly say I know everything about her except how old she is. She is one of the many blessings for which I am immensely grateful to God for providing for me in His grace.

Last night I received a message that she has been very sick. The details don't really matter. When she is hurting physically, emotionally or spiritually, my prayers are with her even when we are miles apart.

I am writing about this because there have to be scriptural truths in this.  There are lessons to be learned and encouragement to be shared. The most obvious is that scripture speaks of a friend who sticks closer than a brother. The ultimate fulfillment of that prophetic verse is Jesus. He is the only One who is always available for us, and loves us sacrifically and unconditionally. There is also the earthly application of true human friends. It is my belief that this kind of friendship does not exist with out a mutual relationship with Jesus Christ. When the Spirit of God dwells with us, we can have the kind of true fellowship with others that is indeed supernatural, not in a creepy horror movie way, but in a way that brings encouragement and peace. When God blesses us with that kind of friendship, we need to give Him the glory. It is not something that we achieve ourselves.

I don't know the depth of your friendships. Sometimes the way relationships look on the outside are not the way they really are. But I do know that real friendship is a blessing from God. When your friendships are rooted and grounded in your relationships with God, then you have a true friendship.

Even with all I have just written, I am finding the desire to let her know again how special she is to me to be in conflict with a fear that what I say might be just way too mushy. I know she knows how I feel. I know she feels the same way. (We have sent multilpe memes to each other. :-D ) Maybe another lesson to be learned is to tell your friends and family how you feel about them when there is not a crisis or illness. So, even though she may be too sick to listen to me being mushy, she knows that I am praying for her, that I will do whatever I can to help her, and that her friendship is beyond value to me.