How do you value your friendships and relationships? If there was one quality above all other qualities important to friendship what would it be? Love? Smile… Okay, I concede that one. But love must be living, it must be a living fountain of water extending from the Living God – or it cannot endure.
What is the most important element in friendship? What could not be gone without beyond all other things?
I once knew a girl in whom I observed these qualities: She was maybe the kindest person I have ever met. She was so kind that I think she actually made every person she interacted with feel loved – whether they were close, or an acquaintance, or even those she was meeting for the first time.
She was beautiful, intelligent, talented and most of all she loved God. She loved God enthusiastically with her whole heart! She enjoyed worshiping God and would always be quick to dance in praise to Him at every worship opportunity. She seemed to hold nothing back.
She also invested herself in prayer and participated in leading prayer and worship meetings.
She was one of many leaders who found in their gift the place to lead and raise their voice in praise to God through spontaneous worship music – that is music that is both spontaneously not a pre-existing song, but a new song, with new words which are sung as worship and prayer to God – and in some places when God and his people draw close, even become through the Holy Spirit prophetic expressions received back from God to his people.
She seemed to have a heart fully bent toward God and dwelling in his presence – close to his heart and throne – to see and bring joy to his countenance and receiving the same in return.
Though I would not go so far as to say that God has favorites in any exclusive way, the best imagination of her position before God was as a favorite daughter who having completely won her father’s heart, trust and favor could if she were to ask have anything her heart desired from his throne room.
And here my imagination runs away with me… it seemed from my position that her favorite thing to do was to request hot coals from God’s alter – coals of revelation of God’s love, and joy, and peace, and forgiveness, and mercy, and grace, and beauty, and provision, and righteousness, and holiness, and even Eternal life! …and to bring those coals to others – to friends, family, acquaintances, the lost, to anyone willing to receive!
I cannot imagine a greater gift! …and I am blessed to know others who follow this same pattern.
Is there any other food we can less do without in life?
“Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and mind, and soul, and strength,” and “love thy neighbor as thyself.” These are the two great commandments.
Do have friends who bring you hot coals from God’s alter? Regularly? Have you ever received a hot coal from God’s alter that you were able to share with your friends? Do you often bring your friends hot coals? What about all of your relationships? Even with those who are only acquaintances, are hot coals exchanged between you?
This is my desire. I want my friendships to be those that exchange hot coals from God’s alter! Whether it be my closest friend with whom I interact daily or the acquaintance I exchange words with only once in my life time – this is the thing I hold most precious.
What do you hold most precious?
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