A Family Who Loves You

Aren’t you glad that God has given us a family to help us get through this life? A very important part of that help is the encouragement we get from one another. The apostle Paul said that we must pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another (Romans 14:19). He spoke those words in the context which condemns brothers and sisters in Christ who fuss and fight over things like whether or not to eat meat or celebrate a holiday. “…for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). As citizens of the kingdom of God we’re commanded to pursue the things which make for peace and we’re commanded to pursue the things which build each other up. In Ephesians 4:29 Paul said that we should only speak words that are good for the building up of one another. The long and short of all this is that we’re supposed to encourage one another and build up on another. That means that God wants you to be encouraged. He didn’t just leave you out there with no net (no one to help).

I don’t have to give you a list of all the ways people suffer today.  You’re every bit as much a part of this world as I am and you know this as well as I do; some even better. Still, it won’t hurt us to be reminded of something. God sees the mother whose heart aches because of her children’s sins. He knows about the wife whose husband is abusive. He’s touched by the loving wife or husband who cares for an invalid spouse. God is fully aware of the faithful brother or sister who seems to be fighting the Good Fight all alone in a congregation of the unfaithful. He sits beside the man whose wife has left him. And His tears fall at the feet of the family of a dear, departed loved one. He heard the psalmist say, “O God, do not be far from me; O my God, hasten to my help” (Psalm 71:12). And He hears you when you cry that same prayer.

One of the ways God answers that prayer is to provide you with a family that loves you and cares for you. That family is the church, the household of God, the church of the living God (1 Timothy 3:15). No matter how dark your days are, there is Someone Who sees you and loves you and has given you people around you who love you, even if you cannot see them. By the way, the reason you cannot see them is usually because you are not looking. Look around at those who love you; hear the wholesome (encouraging) words being spoken to you. Know that God loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates

Good Friends

After a phone conversation some time ago with a very dear friend, I started thinking about my friends. All of us agree that friends are important. We need friends with whom we can just be ourselves.

Scripture says: “A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). “Too many friends” seems hard to imagine, doesn’t it? That almost sounds like “too much fun” or “too much money.” Sometimes I think I would like to try either (or both) just to see how “bad” that would be. Actually, I may be wrong, but Proverbs 18:24 seems to be describing a person with a lot of friends, but none of them are close, real, or true friends. Perhaps he comes to ruin because he doesn’t have that “friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

I have been blessed in my ministry to have served in many places in this country and abroad.  I do count it a great blessing to have met and worked with many, many faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.  The blessings God has given me in this regard overwhelm me when I think about it.

At the time of the phone conversation I spoke of, I was living not far from my boyhood home, and I was getting to work with and renew friendships with people I’ve known since childhood.  I have a file that’s labeled “Important Personal Letters.”  It contains (you guessed it) important personal letters, but they’re only important to me.  They’re letters I have received over the years that were of special encouragement to me.  I thank God for the encouragement I have received from my friends (see Philippians 1:3).

And yet, who am I?  As I write this, it strikes me that it sounds like this message is all about me.  I’ll tell you who I am.  I’m someone just like you.  I have things that afflict me in this life just like you do.  I sometimes react angrily and sinfully, full of self-pity just like you do.  And I have friends that stick closer than a brother.  And I have a Friend Who is closer than all the rest (John 15:13, 14) just like you do.  I know there are some who think they don’t have any friends at all.  Well, even the friendless has a friend in Jesus if he will only submit himself to God.

I told my friend in that phone conversation about my file and how I sometimes will take it out and just read through some of the letters.  I do that when I’m discouraged, when I feel a little nostalgic, or just when I would like a little pick-me-up.  In fact, after getting off the phone, I got out my file and read some of those letters, which go back almost forty years.  Some of them make me laugh, some of them make me cry, but all of them encourage me.  We need to remember, though, that what our Greatest Friend has written is even more valuable (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17).  So, pick up a (the) Good Book and read of the hope you can have of eternal life provided by the Author.  He loves you and so do I.

Donnie Bates