Line-of-Sight Friendship
I woke up this morning thinking about some friends. Do you ever do that? Maybe it happens when you first wake up in the morning. Maybe a certain song comes on the radio and you're reminded of friendships past and present. Maybe you're on Facebook and out of the blue someone you've not thought about for years reappears and an old friendship is rekindled.
Because of Facebook I've become acutely aware of the fact that I am blessed with great friends and family. It's also clear that I am not nearly the friend I should be. I forget birthdays. I can't remember names. Stories of events once significant to me and my friends of the past are lost in the busyness of the here and now. It seems I only have enough relational bandwidth to handle my 'line-of-sight' friends. You know what I mean, those friends immediately in front of you. Those friends you're working on a project with right now. That's a 'line-of-sight' friend.
It's embarrassing, really. These are my friends. They, along with my family, have shaped the man I am today. God has entrusted them to me and me to them. I really must do better.
Aaron was entrusted with responsibility for his friends, for an entire nation, really. In this passage God was preparing Aaron for a singular task - to minister to God before the children of Israel. And the Scripture is clear, there were two things God didn't want Aaron to forget.
1. Don't forget who you minister to - Aaron was called to minister to God, to serve Him and fulfill His Word.
2. Don't forget who you minister for - the priestly robe they would make for Aaron would serve as that reminder. He carried the names of the 12 sons of Israel inscribed on his garment just over His heart.
The priestly garment they made for Aaron was interesting. An ephod for carrying Scripture was made to place on Aaron's head. A breastplate bearing the names of the 12 tribes of Israel was over His heart. It's like God was clearly saying, "Keep my Word in your head and My people on your heart."
I think he reminds us of the same things today. It's time to minister to God, to serve Him and fulfill His Word. It's time to minister for people - our friends and family, to pray for them, to encourage and challenge them to godly living and to be a blessing to them. We are to carry God's Word in our thoughts and our friends and family on our hearts.
Today, when God reminds you of someone, pray for them. Praise God for them and ask for God's presence and favor in their life. But don't stop there. Take time to touch base. Catch up. Send a note. Express thanks. Remind them of an inside joke. Reconnect.
Increase your line-of-sight with God's Word in your mind and God's people on your heart.
Created over 1 year ago
