FRIENDS ARE FEW

Time with Jesus - Sunday, 06 January 2013

Hi all,

Friends: How many have you “got”? Most of us have many acquaintances. Folk we will recognise and greet in the shopping mall. Mostly, they are not friends in the true sense of the word. There are only about five men I know who I could really classify as a friend. The sort of man I could go to, if I had been caught red-handed doing something I shouldn’t. Ladies seem to be blessed with more friends than their husbands. Sure, many of Phyllida’s friends are acquaintances. But she also has a number of ladies she has known for many years. I must admit that their friendship with Phyllida has endeared them to me. That’s how it should be. Today’s meditation is about friends.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Sunday, 06 January 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	Friends are Few
Words. How many do we know? Do we know the meaning of those we use? Very often we do. On a number of occasions we use a word which we think has a particular meaning. Unfortunately, the hearer thinks it means something else. A good example comes from my engineering days as a consultant in Syria. It was a fascinating experience. The contract was written in English. The Syrians spoke Arabic. I only knew one word. “Shukran” meaning “thank you”. The manufacturers, Mitsubishi, spoke Japanese. So all dialog between the Syrians and the Japanese was in English. Fine, if you’re English speaking. But if you only spoke Japanese or Arabic, life could be difficult. So I had to be sure that what I said in English was clear and unambiguous. I learned this soon after I arrived there. I was talking to the Syrians about the oil pipes and how they would be “flushed out”. This caused great consternation. To the Arabic ear, my word “oil” was heard as “all”. They didn’t like the idea of “all” the pipes on the power station being flushed out. It took about half an hour for me to sort out the misunderstanding. Children love using long words. Sometimes they use a word they don’t understand. It sounds good to them so they use it. But occasionally their choice is incorrect. Different countries also use phrases which mean different things to us. In Canada when someone said “See you later” it didn’t mean later in the day. It meant on a future date. They drive automobiles, not cars, and fill up with gas, not petrol. Car boots are trunks and bonnets are hoods. They used thumb tacks, not drawing pins. So what do we mean by the word “Friend”. I tried to find its meaning and came up with this: A relationship between two people, other than a family member, spouse or lover, whose company one enjoys and towards whom one feels affection or personal regard. It sounds about right to me. But how many “friends” do we have? Ladies have lots! At least that’s what we’re told. But do they? I’m not so sure. Perhaps those who have time go to lady’s socials. But I rather suspect most of the interpersonal relationships in those gatherings are superficial. For most men, it’s much the same, or worse. One of the chief differences is that most male socialising is in the pub, at the sport’s stadium or at the 19th hole on the golf course. Incidentally, golf is far from being a social occasion. It’s really a chance for Joe Citizen to walk round in comparative silence wishing he had hit that little round XXXXX white thing properly. Biblically, men tend to be loners. Adam was so busy running round the garden he didn’t even know there was a problem. Only when he spotted that all the other creatures were in pairs, did it dawn on him, that something was odd! What I particularly like about the creation story is that Eve was taken out of him! From his side; not from his neck to be above him or his feet to be beneath him. His side was pierced by the finger of God. A rib was removed and, presumably, replaced. It reminds me of our Lord Jesus. His side was pierced by a Roman lance. Out came blood and water. From this blood and water, ultimately will come the Bride of Christ. Eden Restored? God knows! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told Him all they had done and taught. Mar 6:30 NLT 24 Even a man who has many companions can be destroyed. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 NIrV 11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face. It was like a man speaking to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp. But Joshua, his young helper, didn't leave the tent. Joshua was the son of Nun. Exodus 33:11 NIrV 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:14-15 ESV . 10 In the same way, when you obey Me you should say, 'We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.'" Luke 17:10 NLT 15 This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, Rom 8:15 MSG 6 Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. 7 Then God's peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus. Philip 4:6-7 GW 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him. Proverbs 15:8 ESV	There has to be a reason why we men have so few friends. I cannot understand it. Perhaps friendships depend, On those we’re introduced to, most likely by our wives. But few have long-term friendships that last them all their lives. I know that in reality, men-friends are very few. And in my past experience, there’s only one or two. In fact as I look backwards and down through all my years, There’s very few whose passing, would cause me to shed tears. The guys I was at school with, I never will forget; But since I’ve started working, there’s few men I have met, Who’s really been a friend to me. A few have been a pal. But normally I’ve met them as I courted some sweet gal. Of course I’ve met a lot of men. Acquaintances? OK. But very few continue and still are friends today. I wonder if this problem is mine and mine alone? Perhaps I should be thinking, of the way that I’ve been known? The men for me are usually like ships that pass at night. We seldom take the time to pause. We part when it grows light. Of course I’ve met the people my wife has come to know. And they have all been marvellous. In fact they’ve helped me grow. But few of them were friends of mine, except by accident. And this is surely not the way that being friends was meant. But there’s someone Who’s special; a friend for fifty years. I met Him as a brash young man; a mass of guilt and fears. I didn’t know what I should do. My life was one big mess. And someone introduced me to a Person Who would bless. He’d make my living purposeful. He looked into my face, And told me what was wrong with me. He said I needed grace. He said He would be with me and stick closer than a brother And since I’ve got to know Him, I’ve found there is no other Man, who wants to know me, as an eternal friend; He said we’d walk together, ‘til time comes to an end. And since I fell in love with Him, I’m bored with other men. And we have a relationship that’s far beyond my ken. Perhaps I am unusual? Perhaps I’ve got things wrong? But I’ve not met another man who fills my heart with song. No other human friendship can possibly compare, With walking with my Saviour and knowing He is there. Most men are insipid. Sex and booze and sport, Is not the sort of lifestyle, I ever could support. And if this makes me different, I think I’d rather be, A friend of Christ my Saviour, Who has befriended me. Jim Strickland  Written 5th January 2012.