by Claudia Duff

3 Ways to Reconnect: Wild Horses, Thieves, and Dimes

Friends are multiplied and can reconnect in the world of social media. Think about it, who has over 700 friends that they are in daily communication with? Me. So, when people ask to friend me on Facebook, my immediate response is, “Ok, but I am the worst Facebook friend you will ever have.”

Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing their lives unfold before me. Unfortunately, my devotion kinda ends there with my 700+ friends. I forget to like, love or be sad at their posts. Sometimes I truly miss birthdays like they never happened. I catch what I can but, like I said, I am the worst Facebook friend in the history of Facebook friends.

Recently I reconnected with a dear friend. We hadn’t spoken or seen one another in just about three years. You know the drill–she moves, I move, we all move and you lose touch. Not this friend; she refused to let go and I am the better for it.

Seeing her and sharing a cup of coffee over some yummy treat was just what this heart of mine needed most. Hugging, crying and speaking in fits and starts for a couple of hours brought more than we could have ever given in that short period of time.

Even if only for a couple of hours, there is a true need to reconnect and strap our hearts to one another.

“As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (1 Samuel 18:1 ESV)

I wish I could tell you that all we talked about was the Bible, God and the good times, but we didn’t.

We talked about our lives and how messy they can be and how disappointments chase us and how we are often just weary from the day to day busyness of our lives. But we laughed, deep chuckles about the benefits of a grace-filled God who had come to our lives. We talked about our past adventures and giggled like school girls.

It was good and it was grand and it was hard.

It’s hard to let down your walls and be completely honest with your friend. But that day she spoke these words, “How are you? Because your face is telling me something different” Nope, I couldn’t sneak my lying face by her caring eyes. I felt the same; I saw the weariness and the uncertainty of what will happen next in her eyes too. As believers in a good God who is absolutely sovereign over our lives, what are we supposed to do with all of the harsh stuff? We take it all to the Cross, that’s what we do with it.

“and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’—and he was called a friend of God.” (James 2:23 ESV)

Clearly we have a friend in God who has eternal benefits and He has passed that super power to us. We are necessary for the work of God. Don’t get it twisted He can do it without us, but He has chosen us and it is up to us to respond to the call. Yes, I firmly believe that godly friendships are indeed a call. God has equipped us with Jesus who is our high priest, who has gone before on our behalf. Jesus is the most gracious friend we will ever encounter.

Living our lives to the glory of God requires that we become more and more Christ-like. The power of the Cross makes this possible. Now what will we do with this revelation of truth?

My friend called “out of the blue” right at the moment I was thinking of her. It was a bit unsettling. When you don’t speak for many years, a phone call seems so awkward to make. How great is God to have my mind already thinking of her when the phone rang? Take the first step, make the first move, do it.

 

3 Ways to Reconnect in Military Friendships

  1. Wild Horses – You’ve heard the saying, “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away!” So, first step, lock up all the wild horses of scary thoughts through prayer. Spend some time praying for your friend and asking the Holy Spirit to lead you to the perfect time to call, text, Facebook message, etc. I keep a prayer journal, but I also have notes in my Bible with verses marked up for friends. Things I can use to encourage or pray over their lives. This really is the first step in reconnecting. The Holy Spirit will guide you in how to pray and when and where to reach out.
  2. Thieves – You’ve heard of, “They are thick as thieves!” Second step, get the gang back together by making a plan to reconnect. It can be in person, video chat, or scheduled phone call so you can talk as long as you want, like a naptime call. I am connected with four friends through a text messaging group. We also share the same devotionals. This is awesome because when someone is having a hard time we can all just about quote the same verses to one another. We share a ton of YouTube worship videos, preaching podcasts, and lots of memes! It’s a different vibe sometimes, funny but always timely.
  3. Dimes – I love this one the most, “You can’t get a dime between them!” Now that you have reconnected, don’t let time and space become your dime. Make the effort to stay connected. Not all of us can make weekly or even monthly commitments, but make some type of commitment to stay in touch. I have a group of friends that we primarily use a chat room. We don’t get on there every day, but at least once a month one of us throws out a question, “How are you guys doing?” and we all answer! We banter back and forth for a couple of days sharing prayer requests, announcements, and pics. But, we have all committed to stay connected by not leaving the chat.

I do realize that there are some friendships that were for a season, but others are meant to last a lifetime. Not just for us to take from one another but to pour into one another. As you are filling your tank to overflowing, look around and see who is running low and pour it out girlfriend. Our friends need us.

And for the record, my sweet friend and I already have a day planned and already on our calendars. It only takes one of you to reach out and one of you to respond. Not rocket science, but effort will be required.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for the gift of friendship. Help me to treat my friends with the love and grace with which you treat me. I pray that our friendships will deepen and always reflect your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Verses to Ponder

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV)

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17 ESV)