Friends

I have been very overwhelmed the past two or three weeks by God's grace through friendships. I am ridiculously blessed. I have been able to meet up with some guys I really respect for lunch or coffee lately. Brothers in Christ are undeserved and under appreciated by me. I have had several specific instances of care and fellowship of late. A friend of mine who is an intern at the campus ministry I was involved with has met up with me the past two weeks to spend time in the word together. We've read I John 1 and 2 so far. The main theme we have taken from this has been abiding in Christ and His love. This has been so helpful for me in the season I am currently inhabiting. John 15 was referenced as well. Jesus declares Himself to be the vine that we branches must abide in. John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." He goes on to say, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." Christ has saved us. He doesn't call us to follow His commandments so that we can be saved and abide in Him. He is promising that we will abide in Him if we follow His commands which we can only do because He has saved and redeemed us. My friend is faithful to begin our time in prayer seeking the Spirit to reveal the word to us as living and active. The Holy Spirit has met us and made the word alive. Oh, what grace! Another instance that truly stands out occurred this week. I was over at a good friends apartment reading and enjoying their plushy furniture. I began feeling rough. It went on for a while. I wasn't sure if I was just feeling a little weak and dizzy or if an episode was on the way. I talked with my friend there for a while. Finally, it was getting worse and becoming more obvious. He asked if I was okay, and I said I needed to head back to my apartment. He came with me. We had a really great time of fellowship. As I kept feeling worse and then better over and over he would stop the conversation and pray. He prayed that I would not have an episode and that God would meet us and intervene. This went on for a while. Finally, he was about to leave to Skype his girlfriend. As he was heading out the door I went limp (the beginning of an episode). I wasn't able to move or respond at all. He stayed and prayed against the episode and for God to bring me out of it quickly. He specifically prayed that I would be able to open my eyes and start moving. It took a long, hard fight, but I was able to open my eyes and then start moving. I came out of the episode before it had really begun! What care and love poured into my life. I was very struck after he did leave that it was God caring for me through my friend. Anything good I receive from friends is God's grace in their lives. God is with me and providing through so many people. Proverbs 18: 24, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." I am blessed with many friends that stick close. I do understand the point of the Proverb, however. We need to be intentionally building close friendships and having brothers in Christ who really know who we are and where our souls are. I am blessed to have three or four friends like that. And those that know me best still are my friends. Hard to believe. It's all just grace. I John 1:3-4, "that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our (or your) joy may be complete." Fellowship with men is meant to lead us to fellowship with our God. I am blessed to say that this has been my experience.