Our Advent journey continues as we climb our family tree and remember those who have supported us and become part of our “Legacy of Faith.”
God never planned on any person walking the road of faith alone, but some of my readers haven’t experienced supportive family relationships. Their family may look downright barren like a tree in winter. For many, the important people in our lives are close friends. Some of the best friends are those we have known for many years.
I have known my friend Amada for over fifty years. Half a century! We met in Mexico when we were single. My first Christmas in Mexico, her family made me feel welcome in their home. A few years later, we each married. Now we are grandmothers, and between us, we have a passel of grandchildren. Over the years, we have communicated by letters, cassette tapes, email, and more recently by Zoom.
In the early years, we worked together at Wycliffe Bible Translator’s headquarters in Mexico City. Amada and I agreed to memorize the Gospel of John together, she in Spanish and me in English. All twenty-one chapters? Stories and discourses? It was not an easy task. Each week, Amada and I met to encourage each other in the work of memorization. I didn’t complete that task until long after I was married, and then only with the help of another friend. Would I even have begun without the influence of Amada?
James 2:23 describes Abraham as the Lord’s friend. This was not a passing acquaintance. From the time he left Ur at age 75 until he died at age 175, Abraham walked in friendship with God. Their friendship lasted for a whole century! In truth, God continues to keep his promises to his friend even though Abraham died thousands of years ago. What key element bound them together? Abraham’s faith and God’s faithfulness.
Who is the friend you have known for the longest time? What has bound you together over the years? Have you thanked God for that friendship? How does it differ from your friendship with God?
