Hi there friends!
I pray your day
went well
I know – this is actually my second post today.
However, in all fairness, my aim was to get yesterday’s
post up yesterday
But, it ended up going on the page just past midnight.
Why? Have you
ever had one of those days – after a long day of working – where you say to
yourself, ‘I’ll just sit/lay here for a moment to rest my mind and my eyes’?
Well – that was me yesterday. And a few hours later I woke up and realized …
that might not have been the best idea J
And, wouldn’t you
know – it happened again … tonight!
However, I was not taking a ‘quick rest’ tonight. I
started out talking to the LORD, and then crying to the LORD, and then singing
to the LORD, and then listening … and then sleeping under the sweet presence of
the LORD. Fittingly, when I awoke, I had a text message waiting for me from my
very best friend. She said she was thinking about me and just wanted to check
and make sure everything was ok. What a perfect segue into our discussion on – PHILEO LOVE!
PHILEO LOVE –
it is often referred to as brotherly love.
However, it most accurately noted as a love shared
between friends.
In the context of a family, storge
love often comes first;
And, if you are fortunate, you
can eventually have phileo love as well.
On the opposite side – with friends,
you can start out with phileo love;
And, if you are extremely
fortunate, it can develop in to a bond so deep that one would think it was
storge.
Scripture tells us, there is a
friend which sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24). And, we all have the opportunity
to know Jesus as that friend. His presence was very tangible to me this evening
– before I fell asleep and even while I slept [that would take too much time to
explain]. Yet even with that, the LORD reminds me of the special gift that He
has given me in a friendship based upon phileo love with my dear friend. Jesus
is great ... however, sometimes you need Jesus that you can see – to go to
Starbucks with, to help with moving, to be a shoulder to cry on, to go bowling
with, to go to a restaurant just for dessert & coffee, or to receive a text
message from ... and who you can text back.
YES – I believe there
are those unique relationships which the LORD allows to enter our lives where
the individual sticks by our side closer than any family member ever
could/would - and you do the same.
·
AGAPE LOVE – is an act of the will, which may
or may not be reciprocated
·
STORGE LOVE – is often rooted in where you
have been assigned, the family where God decided to plant you. Yet, it too may
or may not be reciprocated
·
PHILEO LOVE – however, is a mutual, or shared
affection between two people
We talked about the concept of
phileo love briefly when we discussed storge love. You will recall how we
discussed the love shared between David and Jonathan – a love which was
stronger than family [I Samuel 18:1]. This was phileo love which blended [at
least in intensity] with storge love. It
is an amazing thing!
If you are blessed to have such a relationship [or several
relationships], you are no doubt aware of what an awesome gift it is to you and
your friend. Sadly,
however, if you do not have this type of relationship, you are probably
painfully aware of the void it can leave in times when you need Jesus in a
tangible form.
But all hope is not lost. There is a saying that one who desires friends should show
him/herself friendly. So take some time to build connections with people. It
may not always develop into a friendship based upon PHILEO LOVE. But, you never know … it could!
I pray tonight
that the LORD would bless you with one such friend.
If He has
already blessed you with such a friend, I pray that you would never take that
friendship for granted.
Praying You Have a Blessed Evening!
Wishing You Much Love …
‘Two are better than one because they have a
good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him
up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.’ Ecclesiastes
4:9-12
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