I was struck by something in my Bible reading this morning. I'm just finishing Romans, and as Paul is coming in for a landing in his letter, we can see his emotions for his friends in Rome. Chapter 15 is a combination of his urging for them to be the people in Christ he knows they're capable of being, and a discussion about the nature of his ministry to the gentiles. There's a lot of good stuff in this chapter, but today, what I heard as I read was a man who was looking forward to the deep connection he had with these friends. Listen:
"...Since I have been longing for many years to see you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while... know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ...I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed."
Throughout the chapter, you can see Paul at work, describing his ministry, and focused like a laser on the tasks he needed to complete prior to his planned visit to Rome. But what I hear in these words (quoted above) are the emotions of a friend: "You guys, I miss you so much, and want to be with you. Please join with the intercession that Jesus is undertaking for me, because I KNOW love of the Holy Spirit blazing in your hearts. I can feel Him in you from here! Even though miles separate us, we are connected. Because we are, I'm asking you to fight for me in prayer because I'm facing real danger and worry about not being effective in ministry. And because we're connected, I am confident you will. If God wills it, my plan is to come to you. This will be cause for celebration - and hanging out with y'all will refresh you and me both."
Last night, I got a phone call from an old friend going through some rough stuff with a couple of her kids. She's in full-time vocational ministry, and she is a busy person pouring the gospel into the lives of people who don't know much about the God of the Bible. But during our call, both of us shared the kinds of emotions that Paul was expressing here. We didn't talk about the tasks we need to complete, or the ministry plans we're working on. We listened to one another's hearts - that messy, honest stuff that gets churned up when your heart is being broken - and we prayed. And I think we were both refreshed, even though today we're both now carrying a fresh burden in prayer for one another's current life situation.
This is different than "we work together", "our kids play soccer together", or "we serve at church together" kinds of friendship. Those kinds of relationships have value, of course. But they do not serve as the kind of "filling station" deep friendship that most accurately reflects the kind of friendship that God has with us: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." - John 15:12-15
I'd love to hear your thoughts - What human friendship do you have that serves as a "filling station", pouring His life into you? Why?
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