Friendship

This weekend, Jill and I spent with our closest friends in Prestwick. They are emigrating to America in August and this was possibly the last time we will have such a close and relaxed time with them. It was also Jill's birthday which made it really special.

Tomorrow morning I am speaking to the whole student body at ICC on our Fellowship day. It's a time for students to come together without the necessity to read, study, write essays or go to classes in order to strengthen the bonds of friendship that enable community to form and grow. My 10 minute address is on the theme of friendship and for a while I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to share. Yet this weekend I have experienced friendship at what I believe is its truest form.

I have often felt that friendship occurs when you meet someone that you have something in common with, then have common experiences with which help form relationship.

Here are four people (two couples) each with a relationship with God in Jesus Christ, that have known each other for a number of years and have shared many experiences together. However this weekend I realised that one of the reasons this particular friendship is so strong is that we share a common vision/dream for the football team that Stuart and I play with. Our hope and dream is that the lads we play with would come to know Jesus as their Lord, the one that can fulfill the things that are missing in their lives. As we prayed together about this and many other things yesterday afternoon, there was a greater unity that came into our relationship which has brought us closer together. Perhaps a little ironic in that they are moving to Wisconsin in the summer, but a reassurance to me that this is one friendship that will not fall away because of distance.

I would suggest that perhaps the truest and fullest friendships are ones that have Christ in common; spend time together sharing experiences, ideas and feelings; and are united in reaching out to people in need of God's love (in whatever form that may take) through mission.

I would appreciate your comments on this or anything else I write on my blog, so 'answers on a postcard..........'