069: Questions

April 25, 2010
Isaiah 25:1-26:19

I’m writing from a cruising altitude of 3800 feet. The sun is setting and turning the tip tops of the clouds an orange/pink hue. I’ve been praying over some events of the last weekend. I wish there was some way to let people see my heart and what I’m thinking without the use of words. I use words too loosely. They get in the way of what I’m trying to communicate. And then I think that if I just use more, I’ll make more sense.

Words are my tool of choice, but I’m also developing a healthy respect for them. They can cut so deeply. How strange that the one thing I tend to rely on to save and redeem my world is also what destroys it.

I’m contemplating words in friendship. And friendship in general. Why is it that sometimes the friendships I care about the most are the hardest to maintain and keep healthy? What is a healthy friendship? Is there a point that a Christian can walk away from friendship with another Christian without being disobedient to God’s command to be united? I really don't think I think so. I think Jesus probably wants us to press through the tough spots of friendship. I think he wants us to look at each other and realize that this is tough – it is difficult for two sinful creatures to be in a REAL relationship with each other, because they’re always going to not be able to fully understand each other, and they’re not going to want to deal with being offended and extending grace and working through differences. But despite the challenge, we are commanded by our King and Sovereign, our Savior, to make it work. It might require accepting that we just aren’t going to agree on some things. But we’ll continue to TRY to see the other person’s perspective.

The sky is so beautiful from up here. I wish I felt like my life – especially in the realm of friendship – was this beautiful also. But instead I feel like I’m far below the cloud layer, mired in the grey muck of too much rain, too many words, and too many miles, memories, misunderstandings, and mistakes.

Oh Jesus. Redeem this. Make something beautiful from it.

"I could tear you apart, but it won't break anything that we are,
We'll say our goodbyes, you know it's better that way.
We won't break, we won't die, it's just a moment of change..."
- "All We Are" by OneRepublic