Growing up I didn’t have family close by. Mom and Dad moved to Arizona from Iowa a year before I was born. Dad needed to be in a more conducive work environment; he was in construction and the harsh Iowa winters kept him from working for several months at a time.
Anyway, our newfound friends became family. It didn’t matter that we lived in a trailer and had a small living space, Mom would have Dad put up the card tables in the living room for us kids while the adults sat around the table in the kitchen. There was always laughter and plenty of good food.
I also remember the signs of struggle as the adults would talk softly and occasionally a napkin was used to wipe away the tears. That part of loving relationships has stayed with me all my life. I was thinking about those friends this morning…
When you think of the people around, those you share your life with, would you say they are friends or just acquaintances? What makes some relationships treasured and others only casual?
Are there relationships you would like to deepen; those folks you admire but just don’t seem to have enough time with? What do you do to try to increase the bond with these special people?
Maybe you invite them to lunch or perhaps have them come for dinner. They are welcome in your home and having them visit for several days is never a chore but a delight. You learn about their likes and dislikes – how they like their coffee and favorite dessert. It’s important to treat them special!
Now that you’re thinking of these people and how they tug at your heart, you can understand what the Apostle Paul wrote about one of his relationships.
“All I want now is Christ. 9 I want to belong to him. In Christ I am right with God, but my being right does not come from following the law. It comes from God through faith. God uses my faith in Christ to make me right with him. 10 All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him from death…” Philippians 3:8-10 ERV
Do you have a desire to know Christ the way Paul did?
Clear your schedule today. Make a lunch or dinner date and invite Jesus to attend. I guarantee He will show up, he wants to spend time with you more than you want to spend time with Him!
“ You are My friends if you do what I tell you. 15 I do not call you servants that I own anymore. A servant does not know what his owner is doing. I call you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from My Father.” John 15:14-15 NLV
Learn about Him, develop your relationship, sit at the table, share fellowship with the One who loves you most. I can assure you it will be the best friendship you’ve ever cultivated!