Who knows you beyond the title

Intro:
I’m so thankful for the rhythm of life I now can experience. After decades of busyness with ministry, I have the privilege to write for you at times of day or night which suit my schedule. Whilst I finished teaching a Bible College class for wonderful Malaysian students @ midnight a couple of nights ago, it’s been good to catch up with God and myself since.

I wonder what the rhythm of your life is right now.

Are you in the midst of hectic ministry demands, or bi-vocational ministry?
I was bi-vocational for 6 years and been in pastoral ministry for more than 30 years.
Or is your rhythm healthy?

I invite you to take some time now to pray and enter into God’s tangible presence as you reflect upon today’s Devotion.

Opening Prayer:

What an opportunity, Lord. You promise to be with me all day. Facing this new day alone would be overwhelming, Lord. But I have you with me. And thank you Lord that you’re leading me today. Thank you that you will lead me in all I do…in my meetings, in my emails, in my phone calls and in my visits. Thank you Lord that you will lead me towards new friendships and new possibilities. Let my steps be led by you Lord.
Amen.

Bible verse –
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Reflection –
It doesn’t seem fair does it?
We have to first reach out and take risks showing ourselves to be friendly to gain friends, don’t we?

Friendship doesn’t just happen. We have to be intentional. Be friendly. That draws others to us. But when we’re feeling alone, it’s hard isn’t it?

There are a couple of expressions…”just suck it up and get on with it” and “Just do it”

Reaching out and forming friends is like that isn’t it? We need to take steps to create friendships. Sometimes people will betray us by letting us down. But persevering will bear fruit. Fruit that will last.

It’s time. Throw off isolation and risk by reaching out to people around you.
Choose wisely. Towards creating close friends choose people of the same gender, who are not in your congregation and perhaps not even in your denomination. People who you build step by step with in friendship and one day you may have a friend that ‘sticks closer than a brother/ sister’.

Prayer –
Lord, finding friends is hard. I know I need people. I need people in my corner, people to support me as I love and support them and others.

Help me Lord to choose wisely. But help me not to withdraw, rather to reach out and form new friendships. Let me show myself friendly to others today, Lord, just like you did Jesus when you were on earth.

Just like when you called your disciples and when you spent time with Lazarus, Mary and Martha.

Lead me Jesus to people like that who can become part of a circle of support, and who can become my friends.

Amen.