True Love

I have been doing a study in Ecclesiastes recently, along with my Psalms study, and I will admit that at first it was a bit difficult to get into. But I stuck with it and am beginning to find a lot of pretty basic and simple reminders of who our God is, what He expects of us and how that, in turn, should affect the way we live. The first few chapters deal a lot with the vanity of life and the limitation of human wisdom. Both good things to be reminded of daily! The next few chapters, (which is what I am working in right now,) deal with Gods timing for things, learning to be content through disappointments and how to enjoy good hard work. However, the verses I want to share with you have nothing to do with all that. These are verses you all probably know and have heard a million times, but here they are anyways. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” These verses are pretty much self explanatory. Basically, we NEED godly friends who can encourage and strengthen us and who, most importantly, can keep us accountable when we mess up. God cares enough for us to have placed friends in our lives so they can help us to get our focus back where it needs to be and encourage us to keep going. Psalms 54:4b “The Lord is with them that uphold my soul” I guess, my next question should be, “Am I that kind of friend?” I have been hit with this question several times recently through different things, including the recent study in “Changed into His Image”. Jim Berg pretty much nails us about how we should be encouraging and helping our friends “God has called every believer to a ministry of discipleship with those around him. He said that we are to be teaching others to observe all things whatsoever He has commanded us. Mathew 28:20. Discipleship is helping another believer make biblical changes toward Christlikeness. Since discipleship means helping someone make biblical changes toward Christlikeness, it ought to be our primary concern in the relationships of our life.” When I am with other people is my main concern their spiritual health, how to be able to pray for them, or how we can grow closer to God? Or do I simply get together with them to have a good time? Don’t get me wrong… I, of all people, think it’s very important to be able to get together with friends and just be able to goof off together and have some clean fun. ;) And yet at the same time, I can’t help but think that sometimes the emphasis on “having a good time” is too great. How come, in the majority of conversations, even in ones after church, the name of our God is hardly even mentioned? We say we love God, but do we really? I have seen older siblings of mine who are engaged and in love. They have a hard time talking about anything other than that special person. No matter how many times I change the topic to something different, it always comes back to talking about their fiancé/fiancée. They will talk about their last date together, how that other person perfectly completes them, and how they are looking forward to getting to spend the rest of their life with that person, etc. (Honestly, it can almost get annoying! Especially when it’s late at night and they won’t stop! ;) But my point remains…our love for God should be the same way, if not even more so. Is my love for God so shallow that I have a hard time even talking about Him with others? Or do I find myself constantly wanting to bring God, somehow, someway, into all my conversations? Am I willing to tell others about the last time God and I had a really neat experience together? Do I get excited when I think about spending an eternity with Him? It’s easy to say right off, “Yes, of course I am/do!” but if you sit back and really think about it, you will realize how earthly focused we really are. The main reason that God gave us earthly companionship was so that we could seek Him together. Psalms 55:13-14 “But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company.” God should be the first thing on our minds in the morning, He should be the first One we run to tell about any new news or problem, and He should be the One that we just can’t stop talking about!

Chrystal D.