Friends

Friendship is one of those things that I'm not sure I'm very good at.  I have great intentions of staying in touch with people and making time to spend with them and I seem to fail miserably most of the time.  Attending college in Ohio meant that after graduation I wouldn't even be in the same state with most of my best buddies.  Then I met the most wonderful people at seminary, and especially fell in love with the folks in Almon, at Shiloh UMC.  They became my family and though I never get to see them I still feel like they are "mine."  

Serving as a pastor in the UMC can make having close friends kind of a challenge.  In seminary we were urged not to make friends in our churches.  "Our parishioners are not our friends."  But in reality they become closer than friends as together we celebrate and grieve and grow.  Then as God calls to a new place we must say goodbye and unfortunately disconnect so people can develop trust and love for their new pastor.  At each church I have served I have connected deeply with people.  It's the only way I know how to fulfill this calling that God has placed on my life.  When you pray for people every day there's this amazing movement of the Spirit that connects you, and while we might not always like everyone we meet God can sure show us how to love them.  

In John 15 Jesus says, "I don’t call you servants any longer, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I have made known to you."  This whole chapter is full of things Jesus was saying to the disciples as he attempted to prepare them for his departure from this world.  While they didn't fully understand they must have felt this same deep connection with the one who had shown them more than they could ever have imagined.  Jesus shared himself with them and while Scripture often  highlights the positives I imagine there must have been days when Jesus just sat down with Peter or one of the others to pour out his heart about the frustration, sorrow, and grief that he must have felt along the way.  These relationships, like the friendships Jesus shared with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus help us to recognize the humanity of Christ.  Jesus needed these friends to do what he had come to do.

We need each other too.  I fully believe that the fullness of God is revealed only as we encounter and embrace the image of God in ourselves and others.  Our eyes are opened to new ideas and understandings when we allow our hearts to connect with each other.  In the midst the Spirit moves us to see things in new ways.  For this I am SO grateful.

So tonight whether you are in Africa, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan or the many other places you might live know that I am grateful for God's image in you.  Thank you for sharing that with me - know that you will never be forgotten, not even when I'm a hundred.  

Prayer:  Gracious God I thank you this evening for the many ways you have blessed my life through the amazing people I call friends.  While I may not see them all very often I pray your blessings would be poured out upon them, that they would know they are loved and appreciated.  Help us to remember that we may be called to befriend the friendless.  Open us to Your image in those we have yet to meet.  Thank you God for calling us friends.  Amen.