Daily Devotion - Thursday - October 22

Friends in Faith Part 2 

We see another example of a characteristic of friendship in Paul and Timothy's relationship.  Paul was a mentor and an encourager to Timothy. He taught him about the faith and he took pride in  the mentoring he did so that Timothy could spread the news.  

This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.
2 Timothy 1:6 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2ti.1.6.NLT

Finally, another characteristic of friendship that we see displayed in the scriptures is loyalty and faithfulness.  Naomi was Ruth's mother in law. They had both lost their husbands and Naomi planned to travel away and told Ruth to stay back. She wanted her to move on as she still could have built a life with another man.  Ruth would not have any part of this. She wanted to be with Naomi. She was faithful and wanted to walk through the fire with Naomi. 

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”
Ruth 1:16-17 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rut.1.16-17.NLT

We have been given  friendship as a gift.  We can be a friend and we can receive friendship.  It is a gift from God and friends are an important part of the joy of life.  Be a good friend. Be a strengthener, a mat carrier, a mentor and a faithful friend.  Pray for one another. Again, I ask that you pick someone in our church and pray for them. You do not need to let them know and it doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Watch what God does with just a friend’s prayer.  


Meghan DeGregory- originally published 10/19