Word of the week: Friendships

As you may know, Caron and I were back in Dayton, Ohio this past Sunday for an anniversary celebration in the life of our former church. It was full of moments of beauty. Our hearts were full of joy, and sometimes, our eyes had plenty of tears. The sermon I preached is here.

One of the great things that happened was that we met with old friends. These were people who were in our small groups, and in several cases Caron and I did their premarital counseling. I baptized some of their children. Despite the passage of time, we stepped back into those friendships and experienced great delight in them. Of course 19 years brings many changes. What has remained is that they are all Christ followers. They go to several different churches now. But there was a warmth and oneness that the years did not allow to diminish. The relationships are rekindled and plans are in the works for further fellowship.

What does that have to do with you? Invest in relationships. Yes, sometimes they are profoundly hurtful and disappointing. Some people jump from one shallow friendship to another- and that is unsatisfying. The greatest riches in life are in those relationships where Jesus Christ is central.  Grace abounds in them. They can weather disappointment and sin against one another. They point us toward the ultimate world to come, where our relationships never end.

So, who you gonna call this week?

In Him,

Don