FOREVER FRIENDS

 Love is the golden chain that binds the happy souls above; And he’s an heir of heav'n who finds His bosom glow with love.

            I will always remember a weekend retreat that took place some 30+ years ago.  If my memory serves me correctly, about three dozen or more of us young couples secured overnight lodging at the beautiful Punderson State Park.  Rod Sheldon came and shared several important lessons about friendship.  A video was produced prior to the retreat, accompanied by the Michael W. Smith song containing the words:  Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them.  To add a little drama to the gathering we invited Mark Lombardi to share stories about numerous  investigations of paranormal activities reported to the Sheriff’s department regarding "happenings" at Punderson.

            Have you ever thought at length about the ingredients that go into making forever friends?  Lasting friend-ships are like good marriages, they often require effort to keep them going strong.  King Solomon’s writings include wise proverbs about friendship.  Could it be that many of these wise words were handed down to him by his own father David.  According to Scripture, in combating the madness of King Saul, David found great strength in the form of a FRIENDSHIP with Saul’s son, Jonathan.  cf. 1Samuel, chapters 18-20.  Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself (1Sam.18:3).  Solomon has written, a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity (Prov.17:17).  In Jonathan, David found a true friend.  In Jonathan, the soon-to-be new King of Israel met a trustworthy man (Prov.20:6).      

            Forever friendships do not just happen, they are cultivated - - oftentimes in the midst of a fiery furnace of trials and troubles.  True friendship requires a frankness that comes with friction:  as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (Prov.27:17).  Friendships also demand humility, without which candor is unable to do its job.  Friendships also need forbearance.  Even the best of friends have to learn to tolerate each other’s shortcomings.  The covering of a transgression is a sure sign of love.  As the apostle Peter has noted, LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS (1Pet.4:8b).  It is this failure to engage in “bearing with one another” (Col.3:13) that often derails and curtails friendships.  On the other hand, to walk together with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbear-ance to one another in love (Eph.4:2) - - this is that frequently elusive component that sustains and solidifies lifelong friendships. 

                                                                       Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ