Circle of Friends

Several times in the Bible it mentions weeping without restraint over the loss of the friend or over the troubles of a friend. In Job 2:12 it says, "And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven." In Acts 20:36-38 it says, "And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. Then they all wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spoke, that they would see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship." And probably the most memorable weeping of all was Jesus weeping for Lazarus in John 11:35-36, "Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

I have a circle of friends that make me feel this way and help me stay grounded and Godly. It's strange but it wasn't until after God saved me that I understood what true friendship really was. Don't get me wrong, I loved my friends before, but I didn't understand what it meant to be a friend. 

This circle of friends is a small group of beautiful ladies, each with a heart for God and loving people to Jesus. I don't have to mention their names because they know who they are. They will pray for me, take my hand and go with me to the altar, and call me out if I try and head up the "Samantha" show! They look at me through God's eyes and they know my heart. When I think of how Job's friends must have felt when they saw him my heart breaks. They were looking at him from a distance and because of Job's deep mourning they didn't recognize him. Then they mourned for their friend and they didn't even know what the trouble was. They mourned his pain and they felt it with him. That's the meaning of friendship!

In the second passage, Paul is travelling to Jerusalem knowing that he will be imprisoned for preaching the Good News but the Holy Spirit is calling him to go anyways. He has to tell his friends and fellow believers of Christ that this will be the last time that he will see them and get this-they knelt and prayed! They knew that they would never see Paul again. I love the part where it says they "wept freely". They wept without inhibition, without concern of onlookers, and with hearts full of Christ's love for their friend. Many times when me and my circle of friends are together we cry, or "leak" as one of them says. As a circle of believers, we know that there is no issue that is too small and no problem that is too big for our God and if we pray together He listens.

The last passage is talking about Jesus going to see Lazarus after he had died. I've never lost a friend, except my mom (who was my bestest friend in the whole world) but I can picture Jesus, in human form with human emotions, going to visit his friend and feeling the pain of loss. "Jesus wept." What could make Jesus weep? He had the Father at his beck and call, why was He weeping. I think it was because He felt loss even though He knew what was about to happen to Lazarus. Seeing the mourners, hearing the wailing, and speaking to Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha and seeing their pain probably didn't help the situation either. Jesus was a friend that loved His friend so much that the Jews took notice when He cried for His friend.

The deeper I get into God's word, the more I realize my need for Christian friends. Christian friends will encourage you and keep you on track. 

Think about it!

Have you ever mourned for a friend? Their pain? Their loss? Their sorrows? Is there a friend that needs your prayers and tears? What kind of friends are you surrounding yourself with? Where do your friends take you? Is their advice Godly or worldly? Do they speak Truth to you when you are struggling or just tell you what you want to hear? Take time today to call a friend and thank them for their friendship.