I have had a tremendous blessing over the last month or so. I have had a number of friends who have visited me in worship, and at the church I serve, They, of course, have their own places of worship, but they chose to make the effort to come and visit with me. I just feel truly blessed and loved.
In Proverbs 27:9 we read…”A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” The writer of Proverbs, who we think was King Solomon, the son of King David, had a very wise mind. Solomon was known for his wisdom in many things, and because he pleased God, Solomon was granted wealth, long life, but most importantly wisdom.
There are a great many things which we are blessed with in this life; family, health, even the wealth we may accumulate is a true blessing. But to be blessed with friends who love you and care for you, this is blessing of the highest order. One could say, our families are stuck with us, they HAVE to love us. But to be chosen by friends who show their affection, their loyalty, their compassion, and their love, this is a blessing beyond comparison.
As I reflect on my life up to this point, I truly have been blessed with friends who are always there for me, no matter the distance or the length of time since our last encounter. God, who made us, intricately knitted into our being the need for companionship and friendship. We are social beings, without a cadre of friends, our lives would not be whole. We don’t need a huge friend group, but each of us needs those we can turn to when we are lonely, grief-stricken, on the down cycle, wanting to share joy and happiness. Our good friends are more than a treasure, they are an essential part of our lives.
In my life I have been blessed to have a diversity of friends; those who are believers and non-believers, those who are devout, and those who are more casual in their religious practice. What never seems to waver is the feeling of love between us. Whether we acknowledge it or not, love is a much stronger bond than we know. And the God we serve is the author of that love.
If God made us for companionship, then God knows our need for good friends. And God always provides for our needs. God understands our need for good friends, which is why Solomon says friends “refresh our souls.”
My prayer for you and me is one that is grateful for the love poured into us by God. That we never take that love, or the love expressed to us by our friends for granted. May we always be not only conscious receivers of love, but also purveyors of that same love to all.
Your companion on the Way,
Pastor Tom