Episode #5: Fellowshiping friends...

WOOOOOOO! My new record for lots of post, one day....

hehe...so yeah, I know they have all been sorta different, but all really important to me...and i am kinda fearful that people wont read the first few "episodes" because I've had so many today! Buuuut, this is an important one so its last...
which is lucky because I JUST had some new editions to these thoughts...
about friends ( again!)
I was having a really great catch up with Penny on the phone last night...I miss her! And we were discussing what this year has taught us thus far...obviously there were lots of things, but we boiled it down to God teaching us about "the basics" in our relationship with Him. Penny said something interesting about how last year she would have felt that friends were essential to her walk with God, but that now she was learning they arent....that it is an individual thing that is only helped by friendships.
I had to agree with her on this one! And I think by the end of the conversation we were definitely eye-to-eye on how both of US had been "weened" off of close conversing with friends about our spiritual lives at every single step.
Yup, last year it wouldnt be uncommon for me to be asked by three separate friends how my spirital walk was going...to pray with three more and to have long involved conversations about God-stuff with friends...all in just one day...Sunday's being even MORE so! But, I think we can all agree that is something special, something that doesnt happen throughout a lifetime. But, instead, it is seasonal.

Afterall one of my all time favorite verses is when Jonathan comes to David when he is in hidding and encourages him in the spirit...I love it because it reminds me of what those two friends must have once had, everyday, constant fellowship...but even after that season was over, the Lord still used Jonathan in David's life when he needed it..

I think that the lesson Penny was talking about is an important one because it not only showed her how influencial good friendship can be to ones faith, but also how important it is to be able to stand if those "columns that we lean on" are suddenly taken away...

its important to build up that "solitary" relationship with Him. So that through whatever season.. we can have assurance that He is strong within us....

But, lets go back for a second, lets go back to the benefits of fellowshiping friends-Sam mention in his latest postgo read it about such fellowship...and its something I have been thinking about a lot lately myself...ever since reading a tiny book about Revival in China...the missionary that wrote the book talked about how many times she was in constant prayer with other missionaries that she met and lived with...that they spent days and days together constantly seeking God, constantly talking about the need for revival. It seemed that every time she mentioned such times of fellowship, times of great revival followed....In fact, when I thought about it...it seemed that ALL the times of revival I have heard about it, they have been the direct result of groups of people gathering to pray about it....
THIS is why I am such a fan of prayer groups...why 1PM prayer STILL holds such a place in my heart...this is why, just as Sam said, I long for such times.. I know they are there in my future.
And my goal, my delight is to rejoice in times of solitary fellowship with my King until such times come again.