You know me so well

We could all probably make a list of our friends, right? We'd likely start out with those who have been there through thick and thin with us and end perhaps with those we see regularly, but don't really have any 'depth' of relationship with yet. It is good to have friends. If we do divide that list into those who we could say were more than just our acquaintances the list probably would probably get a little shorter on one side than the other, right? The further we refine this list to pick out those who we really know have our back and we see the list probably got downright tiny with that one! We can have lots of friends, but few will go the extra mile of walking with us through our mission in life - partnering with us in our walk with Christ. Few will accept us with our 'dents and dings', 'hurts and hang-ups', or 'haves and have not's'.

I'm a friend and companion of all who fear you, of those committed to living by your rules. Your love, God, fills the earth! Train me to live by your counsel. (Psalm 119:63-64)

A friend and companion of ALL who fear God - that would make for a big list, right? But...break it down a little further into a list of those that are committed to living by the rules God establishes for their lives and the list gets downright small at that point. There are a lot who would make good friends for us because of their similar interests, but there are some who'd make the best "traveling companions" because of their commitment of heart! A companion is someone who is a "match" for you. It is like having two pieces of a puzzle that fit perfectly together. The term "companion" is also a nautical term and carries the meaning of the frame on the upper deck of the ship that may be raised in order to allow light to flow into the recesses of the ship. The true "companion" brings light into dark spaces! Isn't that a neat way to think of those on the "smaller" list we just made? They serve to "bring light" into what would be an otherwise dark existence for us!

We need that companion because of the light they bring - the light that actually assists God in training us to live by his counsel! When we think of those on our "short list" of friends, we are probably able to see how the individual(s) possess certain levels of maturity, talents, and insights that we have not completely developed in our own lives yet. This is probably why they make such a perfect "match" for us - - they bring into the relationship what it is that we lack! In the process of being "trained" to live by the counsel of God, the companions we choose in this journey make all the difference in the outcome of the journey. In my life travels, the companions in those travels have made all the difference in how it was that I "experienced" the places I visited.

There have been times when I have traveled to brand new places - - with no one on the trip knowing the journey any better than the other. It is less reassuring, and I daresay we took less adventures, trusted ourselves less to make the right choices, and felt plagued with lots of doubts. We simply did not know what to expect, so we were a little wary! The same is true when we only align ourselves with those that are "weaker" than ourselves in this journey we call the Christian walk of faith. We need companions along the way who have "gone before" us - - those with experiences we can learn from. If you find you are lacking that true "match" for the journey, it may be a perfect opportunity to begin to ask God to reveal such a person in your life. I have enjoyed these "matches" along the journey - - there have been just a few, but they have been perfect for the season I was walking in. I pray the same for each of you. May God "gift" you with the perfect "match" for this journey you are on! Just sayin!