June 4, 2013

• A Prayer.

  After church Sunday I went out with some people from church and I can’t tell you how empty it felt. I didn’t enjoy the position I was put in. Nothing about it was against the law but morally, I didn’t feel right being part of it. No, I didn’t drink but the way in which they did was underlying deceptive. I know they didn’t feel that way but I did. With others, it simply wouldn’t have been a situation I would’ve been placed in. And yet, I know the Lord is calling me to invest in one of these friendships because she needs a true friend to come alongside her and speak truth.

  Sunday I began praying for a horizontal physical friend. I have a couple genuine friends in different areas of the world – life happens and they moved away. As much as I keep in contact with and cultivate those relationships, it’s not the same. They are still good and healthy friendships but an in the flesh friend to share and live life with is what I’m praying for now. In the past year, I've really struggled and been hurt by a lost friendship. It has been harder than I ever thought. I miss her, deeply. An encouraging horizontal in the flesh friend to live life with...I lost and I really don't understand how or why. I digress.

  My Vertical relationship takes precedent over everything else. He is my everything. My All in All. Anything and anyone He blesses me with aside from Himself is just that...a blessing. Bottom line.

  I also believe He created us to need horizontal relationships. It is not good for man to be alone...yes, I know that’s in the context of Adam and Eve and often used to back up marriage but I wholeheartedly believe it's applicable to human relationships/friendships in general.

  I’m the kind of person who would rather have 2 or 3 real friends than countless acquaintances. There’s a place for both but I desire a real friendship. Ruth and Naomi. David and Jonathan. Elijah and Elisha. Paul and Luke.

  1 Samuel 18:1–3 
  After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.² From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. ³ And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

  Life is hard and we need each other.  In Hebrews 10:24-25 it says, "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one other and all the more as you see the day drawing near." 

  Living in community with others takes work.  It's being willing to enter into another person's mess.  It's being willing to let other people into your mess.  It takes patience.  It begs vulnerability.  And it requires endless grace.  But when we are connected with others, life can be sweet. We can bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), they can bear ours.  We are mutually encouraging (1 Thes 5:11).  We are challenged and we grow (Prov 27:17).

  I don’t expect an instant friendship like Jonathan and David experienced but a friendship with that depth amazes me. Who wouldn’t want a friendship like that? As I was praying Sunday, I found myself saying Lord, it sounds like I’m praying for a spouse and maybe unintentionally, I am. We’ll see who the Lord brings into my life, if anyone. I want what He desires for me and I wholeheartedly mean that. Instead of continuing on this path of what I've lost, though it will continue to be hard, I am beginning to pray more specifically for a friend. I have been, here and there, but I believe I should be specific, even though my Father knows exactly what is on my mind and heart. He still desires us to ask and be vulnerable with Him.

  • 3:24 pm
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