Recently a friend and I were chatting on the phone, as we do most days. On this particular chat she recounted the story of being at the hospital holding my hand the day I had my cardiac arrest and that this was the same hand she held the day my husband passed away. Jokingly I told her she needed to stop holding people's hands before someone else ended up in the hospital. We both had a good laugh, but then I told her what was really in my heart. That I knew God had put her beside me during those extremely difficult times because He knew I needed hands to hold me and one of those was hers. The other belonged to my cousin. Two amazing people I can always lean on.
My father, who served his country in World War II, had many incredible stories of friendships formed during the war. One of my favourites was about his relationship with a German POW guard who made sure all his charges were fairly treated and well looked after during their war-time incarceration. Dad and this man took Matthew 5:44 (Love thine enemy) to a whole new level! Dad was saddened when Erik, as the end of the war approached, was posted elsewhere and reconciled to never see him again. This was, however, not to be the case. Dad and many of his fellow soldiers were sent to Scotland at war's end to be de-mobbed, the process of standing down the armed forces. While there, Dad was amazed to find Erik in a POW detail and with the CO's permission, was able to take him to the local pub for a pint and a meal where he told his fellow Brits what this man had done for him and the rest of that Stalag in Poland. The "enemy" proceeded to salute him. The friendship of Erik and Bill lasted through letter writing for many years until Erik's death. Surely only God could have put this friendship together.
In the Bible, David and Jonathan were the most wonderful story of friendship, a biblical Prince and the Pauper. They should not have been friends. David was running from Jonathan's father Saul and, at that point in history, was a nobody, while the other man was a prince and heir apparent to the throne of Israel. But despite everything their friendship endured. God engineered this relationship to fulfill the destinies of both men; Jonathan's who was to die bravely and loyally fighting for his God and country and David's whose future would be to ascend to the very throne that should have been his friend's.
God puts lots of people in our path during our lifetime and we have opportunities every single day to make friends with them. At the onset of a world war a life-long friendship was the last thing my father expected, but God had other plans. After David had killed Goliath, Jonathan had great respect for the young shepherd and a friendship grew between them. We just never know when God will put an opportunity in front of us to be a friend to someone.
Friends are the treasure by which I measure my wealth.
"The sweet smell of incense can make you feel good, but true friendship is better still."
Proverbs 27:9 (CEV)
'Til next time
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