Happy Birthday Mary!

This is the day the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Today I am glad!   My best friend is celebrating her birthday and I get to be a part of it.  We will spend the evening together sharing and laughing and honoring our Lord through our actions and expressions of love.  I've had many close friends in the past, as some continue today, but this was my first experience building a friendship on God.  We had known each other for a long time, in fact, we are family.  Our husbands are cousins and so we would meet on special occasions and holidays, for cookouts and family celebrations.  Our age difference may have played a big part in us not connecting right away but I won't share who is older :)  I was quiet, she was wise and a busy mom, in that season we weren't ready for what God had in store for later down the road.  Looking back I know the exact moment that brought us from just friends to God First Friends.  I remember the day my heart changed and our friendship became more like David and Jonathan's, one built on God.  We were both ready to know God deeply.  We were ready for a life change and so we vowed to hold each other accountable and what came next was God's good and perfect plan.  Like David and Jonathan, once we were ready to take that next step of faith and we were ready to put God first in our lives, we had an immediate bond.

After David had finished talking with Saul, he met Jonathan, the king's son.  There was an immediate bond between them, for Jonathan loved David.  From that day on Saul kept David with him and wouldn't let him return home.  And Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, because he loved him as himself. 

1 Samuel 18:1-3

This friendship was based on commitment to God, not just each other.  They wouldn't just agree to agree on everything.  This friendship was one of accountability, making sure the other was living a godly life and encouraging one another to stay faithful in all things.  They let nothing come between them, not their career or family problems.  Remember David was stepping in and taking what was rightfully Jonathan's and later Jonathan's own father would want to kill David but Jonathan stayed loyal to his God friend.  Their friendship grew closer as they were tested and they remained friends to the very end, and trusted each other with their deepest thoughts.  I am honored to have a friend like this!  And I know that God wanted this for me.  He wants this for all of us but it takes commitment and hard work.  It takes selfless love and a choice to put Him first.    

So today I celebrate my 1st God friend (1st, because I have gained a few since ;)  I am so glad she is in my life and I don't know where I would be without her encouragement to know God on an intimate level.  She helped me develop the greatest friendship I will ever know, that with my best friend and savior, Jesus Christ.  Who do you have in your life to encourage you to grow in your faith?  Do you have a special God First Friend who will hold you accountable and make sure you are spending time with God daily and growing in your relationship with Him?  Are you ready to put God very first in your life?  I am praying for you to find that one special friend because what a difference it made in my life!