Friendship: Post 3

"One of the most loving and disarming acts of grace is for a friend to whisper 'Me too, but together we can get better'."

-Lysa Terkeurst

One of the most effective tactics of the enemy is isolation.  Loneliness can take a tough situation and make it seem insurmountable.  There is a reason God calls us to corporate worship, we need each other, we need to know we are not alone in what we are walking through.

The beauty of God's creation is that he made us for one another.  He made us to lift one another up in prayer, to share joys and sorrows, to encourage, to support, to love each other-as Christ loves us.  In His perfect plan the love of Christ is shared through our love of one another.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

-John 13:34-35

Jesus does not repeat things by mistake or by chance.  Every word of the gospel has a purpose; He repeats the phrase "love one another" 3 times so that it will draw our attention and imprint on our hearts.  It is important, He wants us to pay attention!

Love is the language that God speaks.  He shows us love not because we deserve it, but because He wants to love us.  We were created to worship Him and He reflects that back in love for us.  

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

-John 15:12

These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

-John 15:17

Love one another in brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.

-Romans 12:10

There are almost endless scriptures telling us to love another.  Christ paid the ultimate price and died on the cross out of love for us-even though we were still sinners.  

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

-John 15:13

By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

-1 John 3:16

One of the best ways to show love to a friend is to let them know that you understand where they are.  Maybe you have been there, maybe you are there right now, or maybe you can only imagine the painful place there live is at this moment.  Knowing you have a friend to walk with you through the darkness is a gift from God.  God calls us to lay down our lives for one another.  This does not always mean the sacrifice of your actual life, but He calls us to reach out, do hard things, put each other first.

Don't let your friends walk alone.  Sometimes God uses our friends to do His work in our lives-listen carefully so you don't miss His calling.

Blessings, 

Meri