Back in September of 1999, my husband and I shared our marriage vows in the presence of God and nearly 900 witnesses. No, you are not seeing things. And no, I did not add an extra zero by accident. Our wedding was large, to say the least. Honestly, there were several guests that neither of us even knew.
When we asked our parents why they invited so many people, one response, in particular, left me astounded. They shared that since they immigrated to the United States, there were several people … far too many to count … who befriended them and helped them as they acclimated and established a family. Our parents said that they could never forget such kindness and they felt it was best to express their gratitude by inviting them to our wedding. Wow!
While I don’t think I’ll be inviting 900 people to any of my children’s weddings, what I did realize about our parents was how they were intentional in their relationships. Even when life was busy, they visited their immediate family members regularly. Even if we were not in the same church with friends, our families met for dinner or traveled on family vacations together. Even when loved ones lived out of state, we drove to spend the weekend with them. Even if our extended family lived in India, we remained in regular contact with them through letters and phone calls. As a result of their great efforts over the years, I had the foundation of precious life-long relationships that I have been able to enjoy to this very day. I am incredibly grateful.
1 Samuel 18:1 (MSG) introduces us to the remarkable friendship that David and Jonathan shared: “Jonathan was deeply impressed with David—an immediate bond was forged between them. He became totally committed to David. From that point on he would be David’s number-one advocate and friend.” Even when Jonathan’s father, King Saul, was jealous of David and wanted to kill him, we read in 1 Samuel 20:42 (MSG) that Jonathan said, “‘The two of us have vowed friendship in God’s name, saying, ‘God will be the bond between me and you, and between my children and your children forever!’”
Tragically, Jonathan was killed in battle in 1 Samuel 31. But the relationship wasn’t over for David. Instead of “Out of sight, out of mind” as his mantra, we find David being intentional to honor this friendship. In 2 Samuel 9:1-12, we read of his inquiry about any living members of Jonathan’s family. When David learned about Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, he showed kindness to him, in particular by ensuring that Mephibosheth always dined at his table. How precious!
Dear Friend, may I encourage each of us today to be intentional in our relationships? My hope is that location, proximity, time, or the busy-ness of life would not deter or be an excuse for any of us from having a conversation, spending quality time, or remembering dear ones in our thoughts and prayers. If there’s anything that I have learned over the years, it’s that “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul” (Proverbs 27:9) and “A friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17).
~Joyce
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