Around the Fire

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making requests for you all with joy…you are all partakers with me of grace…how greatly I long for you all.” Philippians 1:3,8

I am beginning a new Bible study that I just know will be a huge blessing in my life. Paul is imprisoned and in chains awaiting his sentence, but his Christian believers and dear friends were on his heart and mind instead of his dire situation. No where else in the Bible are there such writings drenched in joy. I began thinking of times over the past years when my lifelong friends and I were separated. We all had marriages to build, children to raise and life to survive. Individually we walked out spousal divorces and death, regretful choices, cancer and loss, prodigal children…the list goes on and on. We look back and are all amazed that during those times we were not collectively together. But God always finishes what He begins. ‘…being confident that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it…’ Philippians 1:6

He began a good work when he placed us on the playground together 47-50 years ago. He began a good thing putting us together to figure out and navigate through school. It was such a good thing jumping on the trampoline, laying out on summer days, dragging Main St in our cars, and parties in the basement. He began something precious and joyful, and each day we are recipients of that grace.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, ‘Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a good fire?’ My answer is that this pleasure of which he speaks ranks in my top 4. Our good fire is our ongoing texts between friends who geographically live apart, but in heart are always present. Our good fire is the fire of Christ who has us connected in Spirit and love. God was working to complete the good work when Facebook was being created. He was completing it when friend request after friend request from our ‘band of misfits’ popped up on our phones. He was completing it when together we have bid some of our parents a temporary farewell. He was completing it when I whispered goodbye to my sister and received a beautiful card and spa gift from them.

I agree that few pleasures on earth measure up to the constant, never-changing, never ending love of sisters in Christ. These pleasures don’t have to be 47 years old because God has begun a good thing for me with some other friends. My prayer is that every person who reads this has a few good fires with a few good friends with whom to celebrate life. Grab your friends, hold them tight and always pray for each other. The former, the present and the ones to come.