the knitting of souls together

JUSTIN TAYLOR|11:00 AM CT

Two Biblical Images of Spiritual Friendship

Michael Haykin:

The Bible uses two consistent images in its representation of friendship.

The first is that of the knitting of souls together.

Deuteronomy provides the earliest mention in this regard when it speaks of a ‘friend who is as your own soul’ (Deut. 13:6), that is, one who is a companion of one’s innermost thoughts and feelings.  Prominent in this reflection on friendship is the concept of intimacy.  It is well illustrated by Jonathan and David’s friendship.  For example, in 1 Samuel 18:1 we read that the ‘soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.’  This reflection on the meaning of friendship bears with it ideas of strong emotional attachment and loyalty.  Not surprisingly, the term ‘friend’ naturally became another name for believers or brothers and sisters in the Lord (see 3 John 14).

The second image that the Bible uses to represent friendship is the face-to-face encounter.  This is literally the image used for Moses’ relationship to God.  In the tabernacle God spoke to Moses ‘face to face, as a man speaks to his friend’ (Exod. 33:11; see also Num. 12:8).  The face-to-face image implies a conversation, a sharing of confidences and consequently a meeting of minds, goals and direction.  In the New Testament, we find a similar idea expressed in 2 John 12, where the Elder tells his readers that he wants to speak to them ‘face to face.’ One of the benefits of such face-to-face encounters between friends is the heightened insight that such times of friendship produce. As the famous saying inProverbs 27:17 puts it, ‘Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.’

—Michael A. G. Haykin, “Spiritual Friendship as a Means of Grace,” The God Who Draws Near: An Introduction to Biblical Spirituality (Darlington, England: Evangelical Press, 2007), 73.

The torch of truth

“I thank the Lord if he makes my writings useful,” Newton once wrote. “I hope they contain some of his truths; and truth, like a torch, may be seen by its own light, without reference to the hand that holds it.”

Gratitude - the evidence

Keep a gratitude list and you:

1. Have a relative absence of stress and depression. (Woods et al., 2008)

2. Make progress towards important personal goals (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)

3. Report higher levels of determination and energy (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)

4. Feel closer in their relationships and desire to build stronger relationships (Algoe and Haidt, 2009)

5. Increase your happiness by 25% – (Who wouldn’t want a quarter more happiness!) (McCullough et al., 2002)

Who doesn’t want all that? Just three gifts a day.
“… that habit of discontentment, it can only be driven out by hammering in iron that is even sharper —

The sleek pin of gratitude.” ….

grace sparks flying high

"There are no standing lovers: 

the only way to love is to lay down.

Lay down plans.

Lay down agendas.

Lay down self.

Love is always the laying down.

This is how to make love out of a marriage: 

Love lays down it’s own wants to lift up the will of another.

Love lets go of its plans — to hold on to a person.

This is the passion of Christ.

Ours is the romanced universe. 

For God so loved, He gave….

A good marriage isn’t about reliving a good movie, 

but reliving the Good News.

Nothing is more attractive than sacrifice.

You there in the kitchen, all aflame, you make me know it again –

how marriage is two people who keep kindling 

and igniting in a thousand little ways, 

grace sparks flying high and everywhere."

Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience