One Word
This winter on The Daily Pattern we’re in a series called One Word. Each day we take one word – a feeling or circumstance – and bring a word from God to it. Let the Word of God speak to your life.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4) O Lord, I suffer grief and loss. You alone are my comfort. Amen.
Word: Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Meditation
Friend by Julianna Shults
My sister shared a joke she found that said one of Jesus’ least talked about miracles was having 12 close friends as an adult. It’s a great joke, but a gut punch too. Having good friends might not rise to the level of miracle, but it is certainly a rare gift these days.
We have a wealth of social interaction and communication tools. We greet co-workers before a Zoom meeting. We scroll past the family photos of grade school friends. We double tap Instagram photos of a person we greet at church each week. Fleeting connections can feel good, but don’t fill our need for belonging and community. Our hearts long for what Scripture describes as a friend: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). God made us to need true friendship through all parts of our life, in the celebrations and the lament. People who like us for who we are, even in our brokenness. We need honest and trustworthy relationships where we are seen and heard. Christian friends fill a deeper need as they pray for us and point us back to Christ.
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
It is hard to find and to be a true friend. We put on masks for each other and fail to give our friendships time, attention, and energy. We don’t say the hard things or share our vulnerability. We settle for superficial connections rather than foster ones that speak truth and even disagree all while giving empathy, love, and support. Jesus may have had so many good friends, because he is the perfect model of a friend for us. He is with us always and seeks us when we are lost. He knows every part of us, every sin, heartache, and secret thought and loves us still. Jesus walked with his friends through a world of hurt, loved them well, and pointed them to the truth. He sacrificed his very life for His friends so that we could be together eternally.
These last few years have shown how important friends can be in struggle and when loved ones far away are harder to see. In a world where true friendships are hard to find and time is scarce, don’t settle for just fleeting connections. Seek out those deeply caring and honest connections that show us belonging. With Jesus as our model, cultivate friendships that draw us together and towards the cross as God intended.
Jesus, you are the perfect model of friendship. Let us follow your example in the way that we love our friends. Let us find friends who point us back to you. Amen.
Prayer for Life as a Child of God
· For the Father to give me care and guidance.
· For forgiveness when I wander and want my own way.
· For the Father to keep me childlike in faith even as I age.
· For growth in faith, that I love and trust in God above all things.
· For strength to obey God.
· For the Father to heal my hurts.
· For assurance when I doubt.
Closing Prayer
O Lord, your ways are not our ways. Teach us your will, even when it appears backwards. We want to know you. We want what you want. Thy will be done, in Jesus’ name. Amen.