One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

This imperfect world is filled with imperfect people. The need for friends and the desire for companionship is normal. The pain and agony that comes from betrayal and abandonment is great. There is nothing more painful than losing people you thought to be the greatest in your life. It's hard to watch as those who have been closest to you become nothing more than chaff. We all experience loss when friendships end. We cycle through the stages of grief and go from depression to anger and back again. It is true that unreliable friends can cause us the greatest pain and greatest frustration.

When we rely completely and only on humans, we will come to ruin because they will inevitably fail us. Whether or not it is intentional matters not, the truth is that unreliable friends will cross our paths and leave us. The promise this verse speaks of is Jesus. He is the one who sticks closer than a brother. The bonds we create on earth might be because of similar situations or similar interests, but the bond we have with Jesus is one that has been blessed and sanctified in heaven.

We have an eternal bond and we musn't forget how very precious is the friendship we share with Jesus. We have been saved from sin and been given someone who knows every detail of our insides and outsides. The beauty of how he has already carefully planned our path and how he lovingly guides us is indescribable. People will always come in and out of our lives and we have no guarantee that they will remain forever. Even if we were to be blessed with true friendships, death can take them away. But we have kinship with one who has already beaten death and grants us communion for forever.

It may pain us to watch as others go down the path or wicked and it may anger us to be left alone when it seems we need others most, but in those moments we must remember the one who has never left nor betrayed us. He will fill the void and repair the damage that the others have done. He will make you whole again and will fill you with awe as you watch how he moves. As you read more about Him, your heart will rise and your soul will sing in joy. The love that will fill you and the rapture you will experience does not have to be temporary. Because he sticks closer to us than even a brother, we can daily come to him and daily receive and see the beauty of communion. His companionship will never leave us and is a free gift that we daily can receive.

 

 

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Dear Jesus,
The bible speaks of your wonder long before you even came to earth so we know it is true. You are the perfect one who was promised to us and you have never once failed us. Humans constantly fail us and break us down but we remember that you are the perfect one. You are closer to us than even our brothers. The bond we have has been declared in heaven and we are promised it will last for eternity. We thank you for your sacrifice and for that promise. God, help us to forgive those who wrong us and to look only to you for fulfillment. In your precious and beautiful name, Amen.