On The Same Page
Today’s Verse:
I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. ~Psalm 119:63
Ben Franklin said, “Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.” Aristotle the philosopher said, “Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.” The phrase “on the same page” refers to a very close friendship among people who have common objectives and desires. It refers to a friendship bond that exists because of mutual commonalities including beliefs, preferences, and goals. The psalmist spoke of the kind of friendships that we should be careful to have in our lives.
There is the relationship in friendships.
Friendships consist of people who spend time with each other. Friends are people whom we bear our heart and soul to. These are people who stand by us, and whom we stand by as well, in good and bad times. We enjoy meals and recreation time with them. We are comfortable with them. They are people who make us laugh and encourage us. Friendships can make us better, or they can make us worse. Friendships have a way of defining who we become. Thus, these relationships must be carefully considered as they have a huge influence on us.
There is the restriction in friendships.
“I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.” The psalmist had a very narrow and restricted definition of who his friends would be. He determined that his closest friends would be people who had a genuine and transparent love for God and were obedient to God’s commands. This definition excluded those who were scornful and spiteful of God and His Word. His friendships revolved around people who loved being in God’s house. His friendships were people who served the Lord with great passion and desired to glorify God in everything.
There is the reward in friendships.
The kind of friendship that is most rewarding is one that is going in the right direction with God and that sees the hand of God upon it. The psalmist knew that by narrowing his friendships, he would be able to impact more people for the Lord. He knew that the friendships that he had would result in answers to prayer. He looked forward to spending time with his friends in the Scriptures and in prayer. Their highlight would be coming together for the worship of God. He knew that all of them would draw closer to God because of the nature of their friendship.
Do you have friendships that are on the same page with the Lord? Are the friends that you have drawing you closer to the Lord? Are they encouraging you to have an on-fire spirit for God’s glory? Take a moment to evaluate if your definition of friendship is like that of our devotion this morning.
Have a blessed God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Numbers 14-15