DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- PILGRIM'S PROGRESS -- FAITHFUL FRIEND

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS – FAITHFUL FRIEND

"A man who has fiends must himself be friendly, bu there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

"Now as Christian went on his way, he came to a little upward slope that had been put there for the purpose of helping pilgrims see what lay ahead of them. Christian ascended the slope, and looking from that height, he saw Faithful just ahead of him on his journey."

It seemed that Christian had walked a long way alone with no one to walk with him as a faithful friend. Then he spied a fellow-pilgrim ahead of him. In his haste, he ran to catch up. In fact, he passed Faithful but then he stumbled and fell to the ground so violently that he was not able to get up until Faithful came to him and helped him up. "Then I saw in my dream that they went on together with brotherly affection for each other and had many pleasant conversations about all the things that had happened to them on their pilgrimage."

It is indeed rare that two people can have that kind of relationship where they can talk about the things that really matter in their lives. We have many acquaintances, but true friends are few. Most of our relationships are superficial and so is our fellowship. But God does put people into our lives that we can share the most intimate of things and be vulnerable about our hopes, dreams, weaknesses, and failures. David and Jonathan in the Old Testament had that kind of bond. "The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul" (I Samuel 18:1). The word "knit" is a beautiful word picture of a relationship, where two threads are so intertwined that they cannot be separated.

If God has given that kind of intertwining, rejoice and be grateful for God's goodness. That kind of friendship is of great value and is to be treasured.

Love, Dad