This devotional reminded of the value of friendship. There can be many levels of this relationship - friendship with spouse, friendship with children, with siblings. And then there are friendships with people that come into our life for a season. Today I am thankful for friendship.
Friendship
READ:1 Samuel 23:14-18
A friend loves at all times. —Proverbs 17:17
Friendship
is one of life’s greatest gifts. True friends seek a special kind of
good for their friends: the highest good, which is that they might know
God and love Him with all of their heart, soul, and mind. German pastor
and martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “The aim of friendship is
exclusively determined by what God’s will is for the other person.”
Jonathan,
David’s friend, is a sterling example of true friendship. David was in
exile, hiding in the Desert of Ziph, when he learned that “Saul had come
out to seek his life” (1 Sam. 23:15). Jonathan went to Horesh to find
David. The significance of this scene lies in Jonathan’s intent: He
helped David find strength in God or, as the text puts it, he
“strengthened his hand [grip] in God” (v.16).
That
is the essence of Christian friendship. Beyond common interests, beyond
affection, beyond wit and laughter is the ultimate aim of sowing in
others the words of eternal life, leaving them with reminders of God’s
wisdom, refreshing their spirit with words of His love, and
strengthening their grip on God.
Pray
for your friends and ask God to give you a word “in season” to help
them find renewed strength in our God and His Word. by David Roper for Our Daily Bread www.odb.org
A true friend is a gift from God and one who points us back to Him.
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