“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” Luke 6:12-16
What constitutes a friend? Is it someone with similar interests? Is it someone who is there for moral support? Is it someone who listens? Is it someone who will tell you when you are wrong? Based upon the above Scripture, a friend is someone God has chosen to walk with you through life’s journey. Whether that friend remains for a lifetime or for a season, only God knows. However, we are not meant to go through life alone; we are meant to face life with friends by our side.
I am constantly amazed at how I can read the same Scripture many times, yet, suddenly, I see something I never noticed before. Such was the case with this Scripture. As I read through this, I discovered that prior to Jesus selecting the disciples, He spent the night in prayer. Any guesses as to what He was praying for? I would venture to say that Jesus was praying for the perfect companions for the long road ahead of Him. Jesus was not just planning for His earthly ministry, but He was looking to the future and the beginnings of the early church. He needed friends by His side whom He could teach and rely upon, those who would remain strong in faith regardless of the sacrifices facing them.
Over the years, I have had some friends; most of them have only been friends for a season. It was not until college that I found friends “who stick closer than a brother.” One of these friends got married in January, and we all took a group photo together. Who would have thought that we have been friends for thirteen years? All of us have been through the ups and downs of life. Relationships have come and gone; broken friendships, mended fences, marriages, children’s births, new homes, separation by an ocean, new jobs, and even death of a parent have all passed through our lives together. I am grateful that God chose these friends for me, as I often prayed for good friends who would remain. God does the same for each one of us, putting the perfect people in our paths to walk this road with us. Pray for your friends, and value the time you have together, whether for a season or a lifetime. If Jesus needed friends to help Him, trust Him to provide the friends that you need. We can live with hope knowing that our God knows exactly what we need, friends included.