Friendship is a gift from God, a reflection of His love for us
Day Four
Wednesday, January 10
Connecting with Friends
By Abby Bell
Today, we gather to explore a theme that is woven throughout the fabric of our lives: Friendship. As we dive into the Word of God, let us be inspired to deepen our connections, pray for one another, and uplift each other in love. In John 15:12-13 (NIV) is says: 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Reflecting on these verses, we are reminded of the deep love that Christ demonstrated for us. As we consider our friendships, let us strive to embody Jesus’s sacrificial love.
Friendship is a gift from God, reflecting His love for us. In John 15:12-13, Jesus lays out a powerful commandment: to love one another as He has loved us. The depth of this love is illustrated by the willingness to lay down one’s life for friends. While most of us may not be called to physically lay down our lives, we are called to sacrificially love and support our friends.
Consider the friendships in your life. How can you demonstrate Christ-like love in your interactions with your friends? It may involve sacrificing your time, extending forgiveness, or offering a helping hand in times of need. Take a moment to reflect on the friendships you have been blessed with and consider how you can better embody the love of Christ in those relationships.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV), Paul encourages the Thessalonians believers to be a source of encouragement for each other. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Our friendships should be characterized by mutual support, uplifting one another in our faith journeys, encouraging each other daily, as life can be challenging, and building one another up with kindness and hope.
We have been meditating on Philippians 1:9-11 listed here again:
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
The Apostle Paul offers a beautiful prayer for the Philippians in these verses. This verse holds a powerful message for our friendships. Paul prays for their love to abound, not just in emotion but in knowledge and depth of insight. As we think about our friendships, let us consider how to cultivate a love rooted in under- standing, wisdom, and discernment.
Daily Challenge
Take a moment to pray for a friend today. Spend some time with the Lord, asking for His guidance, protection, and blessings in their life. After spending some time praying over a friend take some time and make a commitment to connect with a friend today or (this week if today is not possible)—whether it’s through a heartfelt conversation, a simple act of kindness, or a shared moment of prayer.
I challenge you to do more then send a text but truly find time for some face-to-face conversation, or get outside and play a game of basketball, something intentional that will build true friendship.
