Day 324: Being Friends

Ephesians 4:1-16; Ezekiel 10-11; Isaiah 42

I'm so thankful for friends. I'm thankful that God has placed people in my life to share joys and sorrows. Paul talks about having unity with others because of Christ, and I see this as sort of a suggestion for everyone but definitely for our friends. He says, "Always be humble and gentle. Patiently put up with each other and love each other. Try your best to let God's Spirit keep your hearts united. Do this by living at peace." While this is definitely important with those who we don't necessarily consider our friends--coworkers, strangers--being humble, gentle, and patient with our closest friends keeps them our closest friends. I have often heard and seen how people can be so kind to a stranger, but to their own family they are cruel and biting. To me, if I can't show love and gentleness to those I love most, my family and friends, then I have no business worrying about being kind to strangers. My love, patience, and kindness should start right at home and radiate outward.

As God is exiling his people from Jerusalem, he makes them a promise: "I will be with you wherever you are, so that you can worship me." Even in their darkest times, even when God is angry, even when The Lord seems distant, he is still there, available for us and deserving of our worship. Just because of the darkness of our circumstances doesn't mean our Holy God doesn't love us or doesn't expect our praise. In Ezekiel, it talks about how God will scatter the people, but he will bring them back together and because of all of their troubles, he will remove their stubbornness and restore their hope. It is through and after trials that I think we grow the most, especially if we are cognizant we are being tested. God doesn't want to leave us in the desert, feeling all alone, or overcome by our enemies. As disobedient as the Israelites were, he gave them hope, and he will do the same for us.

What is so cool in this passage of Isaiah is that it alludes to Jesus. God announces his servant who is strong, who will bring justice, but will not shout or yell in the streets. Jesus is strong, he does bring justice, but he often does it in the quiet of our hearts and the peacefulness of a moment alone. It goes on to say that his purpose is to "bring light and my promise of hope to the nations. [To] give sight to the blind [and] set prisoners free from dark dungeons." Why? because "people were trapped and imprisoned in holes with no one to rescue them." Sometimes in my life I have felt like I was in a hole. I couldn't get out because it was too deep. Jesus Christ is the one who can reach down and lift us out of those holes, those prisons, we find ourselves in.