Who’s Your Friend, Who’s your Daddy? I AM

Circle Of Friends is getting ready to start our 24th year in a month or so and I have recently been thinking about the name of our group and how apt it REALLY is. For those of you who do not know, our ministry’s name came about from our group themselves. Circle Of Friends was meeting in the basement at Forest Hill Church at the time, and we hadn’t really discovered a name for ourselves. So, our team came up with a plan. We had a few weeks in a row where folks would suggest a moniker, and after we had a list, we scheduled a vote one night. We announced the date of this vote in advance so that everyone knew when to be there if they wanted their choice to be registered in this count. That evening, the ministry names were written, each on its own poster board and then put up around the room. Everyone was given a number of sticky dots, (I don’t remember exactly how many dots, maybe four, or eight, or so.) When the command was given, everyone put one or more of their dots on the poster with the name they liked best. You could vote for just one or more than one name, giving each person a chance to have a few favorites. We may have played a song or three during the voting time, and I remember a warm and jovial buzz as our group selected from our various ministry titles. There were quite a few to choose from so it was not a simple task to select from only a couple. After the vote was in, we all looked at the poster boards and “Circle Of Friends” had the larger smattering of stickers on it; and so, it was. COF was now officially named. To borrow a part of a movie quote, in this “circle of life,” we have some very good friends.

In the past 20-some years, I have become closer (at times) to those at Circle Of Friends than I have with my own family. Phil is like my (slightly) older brother. We have had similar histories growing up in church and like the older brothers in my family I look up to, and greatly admire Phil. I appreciate how he conducts himself; at COF, in his life and how he is an example of what a follower of Jesus should be like, especially as things happen (good and bad) on some Thursday evenings together. Speaking of bad things, many of you know that a few years ago I was sick with flesh-eating bacteria which did its best to knock me down. Many, many friends from our circle came to visit me in the hospital and help take care of me at home afterwards. Early on, Dave spent one entire night holding my hand. Well, that’s what I was told. I was on so many different medications I don’t really remember much from those nine days in the hospital. When I was home, Randy, Sara, Callista, Heather, and Sarah (among others) helped Teri and I as we worked through my rehab. Our friends, Debbie, Erin, Drummer Dave and (my wife) Teri have begun to play worship at churches occasionally, on Sunday mornings, and we love that as well. My heart is warmed with Kyle who always has a prayer request. Donald who is a wonderful friend and fabulous at working our slides on the computer with song lyrics we all see as we sing along with the band. Richie, Seth, and Jim make me smile whenever they’re in the sound booth, as I feel supported each time. These friends are like brothers and sisters and watch out for me, Teri, and others in ways I don’t even think of as we get together on Thursdays and at other times outside of Circle Of Friends. I love them all dearly (even those not mentioned) and pray regularly for them and their families. Many folks in life can count their friends on one hand. We have been blessed that even our hands and feet are not enough to count the special people in our lives. Now, that doesn’t mean that only having one friend is bad or good; it does lead me to my next thought though, and Bible verse.

In John chapter 15, Jesus is speaking to his friends and tells them many things about how God loves when they “bear fruit,” or follow His commandments. He is basically talking about how we behave and conduct ourselves in this life we have been given. Jesus also says that if we keep these (commands) we will live in His “love,” our “joy will be full,” and we are His friend. When you think about this, Jesus is God and we can be a friend of the One who has created everything. OK, I love my Circle Of Friends’ friends but, when you tell me I can be God’s friend, I can’t think of a better “name drop.” (Which is not why we have friends, to be clear.) The thought of having the great I AM, a.k.a., God as my friend is more thrilling and wonderful than anything I can imagine; and I have had a wonderfully blessed life. But, how can that be? What commandments do I need to follow to be God’s friend? He says, in John 15:12-15 (NASB), “This is my commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for a slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

When it says, “lay down your life” for your friends, I don’t believe it means that we die for them. Although, on occasion, others have. I believe it means we give to our friends, when they need it or, even when they don’t. We give our talent, our time, our things, our love. Seeing that Phil and I have had similar times growing up in two different states, having a friend hold my hand while I was sick, knowing that my friends show up when I need them or just spending time together is laying down their lives for me, loving me as God loves them. They don’t do it because of a commandment like slaves would have to but, they do it because we are friends. In my life, I can say that it is even more amazing when you do this for someone you don’t know. You may even find yourself with a new friend. Going through a (fun or tough) time with someone may find you both getting to be closer friends as well. As you look around the world it may be easy to get frustrated at current events, or someone who wasn’t your friend who treated you poorly. I prefer to look at the beauty of my Friend’s creation, at my disposal. My wondrous wife, pals, and family. I look to give to them when I can and even when I can’t because my joy becomes full when I give my life away, and someone lives in that love that has been given. And, when you come to Circle Of Friends, you’ll see little things given to others, smiles, time, hugs, talent, and love. Our Father has designed this life for us to have these moments. Thank God, for the opportunity of being our friend, and Father.