Thankfulness for special friends at Easter

My dear friends, these are the very best of three kinds that, for me, roll the goodness of God into one; kind of like the Trinity.

The best of three younger friends have enriched my life because they have constantly invited me into theirs.

Their friendship encapsulates how God gives abundantly to us who choose to give what God gave at first, not least through the cross, and continues to give through the power of His resurrection.

As one holds the lantern for another,
this other holds a lantern for yet another,
as someone held that lantern for us.

We live and have our being to give Jesus’ life.

… and so, life continues onward
through generations.

One friend is the paragon of humility, always reminding me as I’ve mentored him of anything that I’ve spoken of that is extra-biblical, hence distasteful, as opposed to the fruit of experience he has craved for me to share. He speaks truth and has an eye and a heart for it. It hasn’t always made him popular. And at times, sometimes when life was going against him, his commitment to the truth has lost him ‘friends’. Yet his commitment to truth is unwavering.

His devotion to the truth speaks mainly from his devotion to love; the person who shares truth from their heart loves most. He has loved me and continues to love me. And I love him.

My second friend I had the privilege of counselling years ago. She was vulnerable and gave her situation to me in much vulnerability. It was a holy thing to be trusted to this degree. I revered God more for who He had entrusted to me as she sought my help for the season she was enduring. This counselling relationship wasn’t only for her help, but it was also for my education — God trained me as each of my steps forward were shone, lit just in time.

My third friend came into my life and was open to my friendship and support at a time when life was very hard for me. For such a season, her hope and life and vitality were like life to me, and it was especially a blessing to me that she shared her confidence and joy. I had depth and she had depth, and yet as I gave my support, God gave me strength through being in her life that she would’ve had no idea about.

One thing my three friends have shown me —
no, actually God has shown me through them —
is the message of Easter in their very lives!

I have seen, borne witness, even supported them, through their bearing of their crosses to the death of their dreams. And for each I’ve seen them rise again, resurrected as it were by the power of Christ in them; dreams revived and intact.

This has been personal for me. To witness this in them, as a foretaste of experiencing a very recent iteration of my own resurrection. Only now, this Easter, as I reflect on Christ’s death, entombment and resurrection, in the context of my own, do I see theirs, as a prophetic witness of what God had done in theirs and was already doing in my life — yet I could not see it until now; until the appointed and correct time.

All three of my special friends share the same sporting prowess and they’re all experts in what they do; but their passion is not for the sport that claims their service, but for their devotion to Jesus’ passion.

Photo by Dylan McLeod on Unsplash