Last week was an enjoyable week for me. Not just because I had a chance to get away from my routine and hear some great preaching, though that was part of it. By the way great preaching is uplifting and encouraging maybe you can get away soon and hear some instead of what you’re used to hearing! It was enjoyable because of the people I traveled with. Three of the five men I traveled with have been friends of mine for over 20 years. We hold many things in common and we’ve walked together down some dark roads. One of them I walked with through the valley of death as his first wife was dying of cancer. I preached her funeral and sought to comfort him and his children. Another along with his wife was part of a mission team to the Yucatan Peninsula. We labored side by side as we sought to take the gospel from village to village. The other I met when I was his parent’s pastor. Through the years I’ve often preached in his church. These men are dear friends with whom I’ve shared my life.
We laughed. We told stories, by stories I mean things we’ve seen and done not “stories” as in, “he storied (lied) to me.” Okay we did that too. We discussed theology. We argued biblical texts. We sought advice. It reminded me of how important friendships are. Real friendships rooted in the gospel; the kind of friendships that add depth and quality to life. It reminded me of what I have here that I so often take for granted. So let me just say, “Thank you, my friends, for sharing your life with me and making my life so rich and full.”
I’ll see you Sunday.
Rod