Many years ago as I was leaving one job and had accepted another, my family and I were relocating to another town. Two of our children had graduated from high school and were in college, and our two youngest would be attending a new high school. Our entire family was very involved in our church and all of our children were very active in their respective departments.
As word began to circulate that we were leaving our minister of music asked my two older children to sing, once again, in the morning worship service of our last day. Our daughters were very involved in the youth choir and sang quite frequently together in our worship services. This particular day was not easy for any of our family members but my daughters accepted his request to sing the song “Friends” by Michael W. Smith.
Both girls stood before several hundred people that morning to sing. My oldest daughter told her sister not to cry because she was not, and they could get through it. As they began to sing they made it through the first verse and then became so overwhelmed by the words of what they were singing and both broke down realizing they were leaving friends they had known for several years. The minister of music realized what was happening went and put his arms around them and stood with them and asked the congregation to sing with them.
Leaving friends in any situation is not easy. My wife and I have done this several times and it is hard to say goodbye to people that you have been around for many years and socialized with. I am sure that the ones reading this devotional understand this feeling. Not only moving away is hard but when you lose a love one or a friend to their heavenly home is especially hard because seeing them won’t be until the Lord calls us home also. The older I get the more I realize the value of true friendships.
Read the words of the song “Friends” and ask yourself if you are that close friend to someone.
“Packing up the dreams God planted in the fertile soil of you. Can’t believe the hopes He’s granted, means a chapter in your life is through. But we’ll keep you close as always; it won’t even seem you’ve gone. ‘Cause our hearts in big and small ways, will keep the love that keeps us strong. And friends are friends forever if the Lord’s the Lord of them; and a friend will not say never, ‘Cause the welcome will not end, though it’s hard to let you go, in the Father’s hands we know, to live as friends.
This is a terrific song and says so much to anyone that is moving away. My family and I continue to have friends in the church we left and we still love and visit the people. There is a big difference in having true friends and having people as acquaintances. You never lose friends. We need to pay special attention to what we are told in Proverbs 18:24; “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friends who sticks closer than a brother.” My family has been truly blessed with friends from the many places we have lived. Always remember the true saying of “to have friends, you must be a friend.”
PRAYER
Thank you Lord God for all the friends you have blessed us with. I pray for them that you would protect them and look over them as we move forward each day. Amen.
Suggested Readings
Sunday – Job 2:11-13
Monday – Hebrews 13:5-6
Tuesday – Proverbs 27:17-19
Wednesday – 1 John 4:7-12
Thursday – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Friday – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Saturday – Exodus 33:11
