Taste And See That The Lord Is Good
Tuesday, November 26th, 2024
Acknowledge something wonderful God has done for you!
Psalm 9
God is good, and He gives us good gifts. An encouraging exercise is to count our blessings. When we acknowledge all the beautiful things God has done for us, our hearts are full of gratitude. One blessing is the gift of friendship.
Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend is always loyal (or loves at all times),
and a brother is born to help in time of need.”
To share life with others means our joys are multiplied, and our sadness is shared and perhaps lessened. To have a friend, be a friend. One tool I have used to make new friends is to list people currently in my life and prayerfully consider investing in them. When I make a list, I think about how available a person may be depending on their work, family life, or other life circumstances. Considering each person and their openness enables me to make wise choices. There is only so much time in a day, week, or month. But choosing certain people and focusing on deepening connections has blessed them and me.
I call this the 12, 3, and 1 principle. Jesus had twelve disciples, an inner circle of three, and one person with whom he shared his heart deeply.
So I can look at my list of perhaps five or more people and choose three whom I really want to pursue and get to know better. A friend is a gift you give yourself.
One of God’s great gifts to me is a loving and faithful husband. We met through a singles group at our church, and early on, I felt he was someone I could trust. We built a friendship for over a year before we started dating each other. Spending hours discussing hopes and dreams and what impacted our lives was satisfying. Most significantly, our conversations focused on Christ; we prayed for one another each time we were together. Through my best friend and now husband, I experienced unconditional love, which was missing growing up.
One book that greatly enhanced my ability to make friends is the book
The Friendship Factor by Alan Loy McGinnis. It has been so popular that it has been translated into more than 20 different languages and was revised for its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2003.
An online review states,
“With its basic message for nurturing healthy and lasting friendships, this award-winning book, translated into more than 20 languages, affirms that simple things matter. How you communicate your needs, desires, concerns, and love for others become the building blocks for long-lasting joy.”
So, something extraordinary I joyfully acknowledge is that God has taught me how to be a good friend and to make friends. I, who was so shy and broken, have been transformed by my friendship with God. The gift of my best friend husband is only surpassed by my friendship with the living God.
In the Bible, Abraham was called God’s friend three times.
These are found in 2 Chronicles 20:7 and Isaiah 41:8 in the Old Testament and James 2:23 in the New Testament.
I am God’s friend.
How about you?
There is no more incredible friend you can have than God.
I hope you discover this for yourself.
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***NOTE: This month is my spiritual birthday in Jesus.
I surrendered to the Lord 46 years ago!
Praise God for His Holy Spirit, who has enabled me
to walk consistently with Him ever since!
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Gleanings From Heaven's Gate 