I figured what better way to start my blog than with the topic of friendship? After all, when you visit your favorite blogs every day, don't you sometimes feel like you kind of "know" that person as they share personal things from their lives with you? Linked? Connected? I have a friend who, while I don't see her often (in fact, I haven't seen her in YEARS) we think of each other as soul sisters. Kindred spirits. And isn't that what many women long for? The Bible gives several examples of strong friendships. One of my favorites is the sacrificial, unconditional friendship between Naomi & Ruth -
For wherever you go, I will go,
and wherever you live, I will live;
your people will be my people,
and your God will be my God.
Where you die, I will die,
and there I will be buried.
May Yahweh punish me,
and do so severely,
if anything but death separates you and me.
Ruth 1:16b-17 (HCSB)
I encourage you to read the first chapter of Ruth today :) If you don't have your Bible handy, www.biblegateway.com is a fantastic online Bible with every translation imaginable.
Confession - I am usually a homebody, and am was happy being alone with my family. I didn't want to be bothered with the outside world, in all honesty. Besides, my husband is my best friend, so what else did I need? But I tell you what... my husband & I have been meeting lots of new people and getting involved in church activities more, and boy do we feel a rejuvenation taking place. And it's not just good for us individually... it's good for our marriage, because as we seek out new things to do together, with new people, we are no longer in the rut that we created. Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 says -
There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches. “So who am I struggling for,” he asks, “and depriving myself from good?” This too is futile and a miserable task.Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.
Take a moment also to look at Hebrews 10:24-25 -
And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
So friends, we're not meant to be on this journey alone. Step out of your comfort zone. Seek God-honoring friendships and be careful to nurture them. I pray that you will be richly blessed with the kind of friendships the Lord wants for you and that He will provide a way for those friends to come into your life if they haven't yet.
