Friendship

Friendship

(Picture credits at end of post)

A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17 – NASB)

In one of his newsletters Charles F. Stanley shared the following:

“Many years ago, I read a description of a genuine friend. Although I don’t remember who said it, I wrote it down and have kept it all these years.

A friend is a treasure who loves you as you are, sees not only who you are but who you can become, is there to catch you when you fall, shares your everyday experiences, accepts your worst but helps you become your best, understands your past, believes in your future, accepts you today just as you are, and comes in when the whole world has gone out.”

Some may consider this as setting the bar too high, making it an unattainable goal. “All you are doing,” some may say, “is setting us up for a fall. We will end up in discouragement and defeat. Better to aim for something a little more demanding and much for ‘reachable.’ That way we will not be plagued by defeat of failure.”

That kind of thinking totally ignores the incredible provisions God has made for ever true disciple of our Lord. In his second letter, the apostle Peter describes these provisions:

…seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (1 Peter 1:3-4 NASB)

Two things stand out in these verses that total destroys the argument made above:

First, God has provided for us everything pertaining to life and godliness. Nothing is denied us in the pursuit of our spiritual goals. If it is the need to be a true friend, God has given us everything we need to attain that goal.

Secondly, He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of [the] divine nature. God’s nature operating within is will enable us to manifest the true characteristics of a friend.

The Friend I Want to Be

(© Monday 23^rd February 2015 – by Christopher Shennan

A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17 – NASB)

I don’t want to just have a friend,

That is faithful, strong, and is true;

Sticking closer than a brother

Would, and always loving you, too.

No, I want to be such a friend,

By the working of God’s great power;

By believing in His promise –

Be a true friend every hour.

I don’t want to make excuses,

Saying, “The bar is set too high.”

I’d rather believe His promise,

And refuse to question why.

I know God’s plan for me, dear friend,

Is to be a friend, just Like Him,

For he’s granted all that’s needed,

So that I this great race can win.

Please visit My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
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“Friendship,” by Mathias Klang. Copyright. Used under the CC BY 2.0 license; please note the Disclaimer at this link. No changes were made to this photo.