Making “Forever Friends”
Having had 3 separate cancers in the last 4 years has definitely given me a handle on my mortality. I realize that the here and now is not quite as important as I once deemed it. My discovery is that I want friends who will last an eternity– literally.
At one point, it seemed to me that kindness was all I wanted in a friend. And that is such a great starting point, but in addition to kindness I want to spend time with people who know they are poor in spirit like me. My friends don’t have to have arrived at total understanding of the poor in spirit concept, but I want them to be willing to start the journey towards that goal. My thinking is that no one is going to make it to heaven without the realization that they cannot do so alone. We need God’s help through the mercy and payment of Jesus on the cross. That is my understanding of being poor in spirit. (Mat. 5:3)
How does one go about the business of making forever friends? In my opinion, it is just not humanly possible. Becoming a member of the kingdom of God is not something one is talked into, although talking and reasoning may be helpful. We are drawn into God’s family through his Holy Spirit. We are brought into the kingdom through the faithful prayer of believers.
Although we should always be prepared to tell the reason for the hope within us, the greatest thing we can do to cooperate with God in making forever friends is to pray for them. I think praying the scriptures is the most effective way to pray for God’s will in their lives because there is no doubt that those words line up with God’s will.
My hidden motive is that I want to have friends with me in heaven to help me to come up with remodeling projects for Lee. Lee recently had a dream in which he and Jesus were walking on the streets of gold. Suddenly, they had to hide because they were being summoned to do a remodeling project in God’s mansion. The project was masterminded by God and me.
Lee decided that he wants to make sure that he gets to heaven before me so that this dream does not come true. He wants a head start on talking to God face to face. As if that will help!
Back to forever friends, if we care about people, we will pray for them and we will share our greatest gift.
