Be a Friend

(Taken from Monday Morning Musings – St Stephen Reformed Church – New Holland PA)

Good Morning, Ladies.

     This week I felt overwhelmed.  Our new computer crashed, and I had no idea how to fix it.  Following the manufacturer’s support advice seemed questionable.  But a friend took time to come over and following her advice, I was able to get it repaired. (thank you, friend).  However there remained all the emails to go through, passwords to reset, web sites that needed to be downloaded again and on and on.  Some of you have gone through it.  It was one of those days that Vance Havner says, “God marks across some days, ‘will explain later.”

     Can you picture yourself with a handful of yellow sticky notes all saying ‘will explain later’ when you meet Jesus?  Somehow, I do not think it will matter one iota by the time we get there.  But what is important is that when we have that kind of day there is a friend to encourage us.

     Friendship must be important to God.  In I Kings 4, Solomon had just become king over Israel.  Listed are all the important people in ‘cabinet’ so to speak.  The priests, the secretaries, the recorder, the head of the army.  Then there is this remarkable phrase, (vs 5 )”Zabud, the son of Nathan, a priest, was the king’s friend.”  It was important for the king to have a friend and God even told us his name.  Remember that King David had a good friend in Jonathon as well.

     Perhaps more devastating than having Covid has been not being able to get together with friends.  In the pioneer days, they called it ‘cabin fever’.  And when the long winter was over, the women were so happy to have a quilting day or just get together to talk.  I honestly cannot imagine what it must have been like to live in one of those soddys without windows all winter.  Cabin fever was real.  Maybe we should call this ‘Covid fever’.  The cure– getting together again.

     In our Bible study we do a brief segment called, Our Amazing God, in which we learn briefly about some unique characteristics of His creation.  Last week we talked about symbiosis where each creature benefits from the other.  God has created them to help each other.  God has created us to need and help each other as well.  He knows we need to talk and laugh with others.

    When you laugh, your intake of oxygen is increased, your heart and other muscles are stimulated, and endorphins are released.  Endorphins are natural pain relievers in the brain.  Isn’t God amazing?!  That is why God says that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine.

     So be someone’s friend.  Make someone laugh.  If you can get together, do it.  If not, communicate somehow.  God thought it was important to know the name of Solomon’s friend.  You can be that important friend to someone as well.

 Edie R

   ’43 / ’55  New Holland PA

Doris Jean H

’44 / ’55 Manheim PA