“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”
Proverbs 27:17 NLT
https://www.bible.com/116/pro.27.17.nlt
I’m sure that you are like me in the sense that, all of us have probably had friends for as long as we can remember. We started out with family members, cousins perhaps (in my case…a very large number of cousins!!) as playmates. But, if we think back to Sunday School days or early school days, we had friends. In later school days, how much more enjoyable those days were because of our friends that were there to talk to, go to lunch with, have sleepovers with, and the list goes on.
Well, I don’t know about you, but it wasn’t until more recently that I think I truly started to recognize the value of those friendships. Being my introverted self (loving and gaining energy from time alone), I don’t often choose to go hang out with friends, but every now and then I will; or, I might have lunch or a chat…or, I like to host a party every once in a while—go figure!🙃
The point I am getting at is that, as times seem more chaotic and maybe confusing, how much more we need that fellowship and encouragement of Christian friends. We don’t have to be a “social butterfly” to recognize a boost in our spirit after some positive contact, like I received at church yesterday…I didn’t even feel that I “needed” a boost (and I absolutely do feel that way sometimes!!!), but this lady is so loving and interested that a boost is what I got whether I “needed” it or not!! 😄 That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout!
In my quiet/devotion time this morning, Matthew 9:2 was mentioned; and how that the paralyzed man’s friends are the ones who ‘lifted him’ to Jesus. (The Heart-Shaped Life, 2017, by Karen Moore)
In another part of my devotion, Beth Moore wrote, “Through the pen of King David, God told us to ‘praise him according to his excellent greatness,’ not according to public opinion (Ps. 150:2 KJV).” (Portraits of Devotion, 2014)
Today, in spite of (or because of) what’s happening around us, let’s lift one another up; and praise God for “His unequaled works” (NLT)— and the blessing of friends.
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“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
Psalms 150:1-6 NLT
Simply Celebrate With Jackie 