What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Friday, September 19, 2014

"A Friend Loves at All Times..."

"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17

Yes, a friend DOES love at all times...even after a lifetime of friendship! Today I was blessed to spend a little time with a few of my childhood girlfriends...girls that, for the most part, I have known since we attended school together in the first grade all the way through graduation twelve years later.  Some new friends came along during that time, and some others moved away, but even so, we are still friends, having known each other almost sixty years! (I can't believe that can be possible...that sounds so OLD...and we are still so young!)








This kind of friendship is truly a gift from God. We are women who love the Lord, and we love one another. What could be better than that? I can honestly say, I am blessed to have been a part of such a bond of friendship for so many years.  We have seen each other at our worst, and also at our best. We learned our ABC's together, struggled through difficult arithmetic problems, and shared our deepest secrets with one another as we progressed from childhood into puberty and into the early stages of young womanhood.  We rejoiced as we received awards, and we pulled each other up as we sometimes missed the mark and suffered defeat. We cried on each other's shoulders when there was a bad "break-up" with a favorite beau, and cheered when someone better came along to make our hearts sing. 

Even though most of us moved on after graduation from high school to bigger places and different worlds, somehow over the years we have gravitated back "home" and have found such joy in reuniting with one another again.  We've raised our babies, and most are now grandmothers. We've had our ups and downs, heartbreaks, disappointments, but we still have joy in our hearts and hope for our futures.

That's what true friendship is all about...even after so many years we can still come together and laugh and cry tears of joy as we reminisce about the "good old days"...and we can encourage each other with words of love and prayers of comfort.  

I like the Proverb that says, "A merry heart does good, like a medicine..." (Proverbs 17:20)...and that goes along with this kind of friendship...being joyful, laughing together, sharing sweet memories...which also does good like a medicine.  

The second part of that Proverb says, "but a broken spirit dries the bones."  Sometimes when we are feeling lost and alone, with a hurting and broken spirit, we do feel like our bones are just plain dried up and our cup of joy is nothing but dregs. That's when we need our friends the most.  Perhaps you don't have any childhood girlfriends to reach out to, but hopefully you have found some special people in your life who can be there for you in the here and now.  Another Proverb (18:24) says,

"A man (woman) who has friends must himself (herself) be friendly..."

I know there have been many times in my life when I wasn't near my childhood girlfriends, and I found myself struggling to find a friend that I could trust.  The rest of verse 24 above says, 

"But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Who is that friend? I hope you already know the answer...it's Jesus, the Friend of all friends, the One Who loves you better than any earthly friend could ever begin to love you. Earthly friends, as wonderful as they are, can't always be there for us. They may want to be there...and may try really hard to meet our needs, but we human beings are only able to do so much. We fall short. Jesus is the only Friend Who can fill our hearts with peace, bring lasting comfort to a broken heart, lift us up when we are sinking in the pit of sin and despair, and turn our lives around and give everlasting hope and so much more...yes, even eternal life!  I hope you already know this Magnificent Friend.  

Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Matthew 11:28-30

The Book of Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 18 says:

"Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD,
Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they be red like crimson,
They shall be as wool."

The David Crowder Band has recently come out with a new song that I have heard on the radio this past week, and it really spoke to my heart. Here are the lyrics:


"Come out of sadness
From wherever you've been
Come broken hearted
Let rescue begin
Come find your mercy
Oh sinner come kneel
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal


So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You're not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are


There's hope for the hopeless
And all those who've strayed
Come sit at the table
Come taste the grace

There's rest for the weary
Rest that endures
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't cure


So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You're not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart

Come as you are
Come as you are
Fall in his arms
Come as you are

There's joy for the morning
Oh sinner be still
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal
Earth has no sorrow
That heaven can't heal


So lay down your burdens
Lay down your shame
All who are broken
Lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home
You're not too far
So lay down your hurt
Lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are
Come as you are"




Click here  for the "Come as You Are" YouTube Video of David Crowder band...Please watch and listen, and "lay down your burdens...lay down your shame...all who are broken, lift up your face. Oh wanderer come home...you're not too far..." 

This post ended up differently than I originally thought...but someone out there needs this message tonight. I hope it has brought hope and comfort to you as it has me.

4 comments:

  1. Thank you for this beautiful post Pam. I have been in an oddly desperate place regarding friends and this spoke to my heart. Living in a new place with no friends has made me feel kind of desperate! The other day a woman who lives one house away honked and waved at me as I was getting my mail. We've never met yet and I only saw the back of her head and her hand waving as she drove away. I stood there with such longing to meet a friend! So this shy and reserved person is asking God for new friends and since I am not willing to go up to the friendly lady I saw in the grocery store the other day, it will take a God-size miracle I think! Ha! Thnx for letting me spill....Susie

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    1. I've been praying for you to find a special friend there in your new home/neighborhood. It takes time, but God is already on it. Just give Him time...and be ready. There's someone there who needs you just as much as you need her. Praying for you my sweet friend. I wish I was closer. We'd be best buddies always. The beautiful thing is we can be that across the miles because of Jesus. I know He has someone for you right there as well. <3 <3 Thank you for "spilling" here. xoxoxox

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  2. Pam: This is a beautiful entry. Most of my friends are church friends, a few neighbors, or a blogging buddy I have gotten especially close to. Hubby has some friends from early grade school and one whose family who lived down the road. He moved away from there over 50 years ago. We still have contact with them. They are like 'family' to him and to me.

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    1. I like the old Amy Grant song "Friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them..." when we share that bond in Christ, we share an eternal friendship that will never end. But it is fun to touch base with people from our childhood who knew us "when"...and laugh about who we were then . But whether or not we have a lot of friends from our past, or a few friends now, the important thing is to love one another as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. And to recognize that friendship through our relationship with Christ is something to be cherished, regardless of distance, time or space. Therefore, I cherish you, my blogging friend as well as my close by friends, because one day we will be together in heaven forever! What a glorious day that will be!

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