FRIENDSHIP.Намуна

Made for relationships 

Over the past few years several studies have suggested that social isolation or loneliness poses a bigger risk to our health than smoking or obesity. Loneliness has the same effects on your body as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The negative effects of loneliness and our desire for friendship shouldn’t surprise us. Our great God is himself relational. He exists relationally as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Humanity (that’s you and me) is created in his image. So we have been created as relational beings. We have been created for relationships. In Genesis 2 the only thing that is not good in the garden is that Adam has no complement. There is no partner for him. He is alone until God creates Eve and declares his creation to be very good. So, as humans made in the image of God we are made for relationships. We are made for relationships. We are made for friendship. 

Question Why is friendship essential to our humanity? How does knowing that we are made for friendship change your understanding of what it means to be a friend? 

Prayer Dear God, thank you that you have made humanity in your image. Thank you that you have made us relational beings. Please help us to know how to be a friend to the people you have placed in our lives. Please help us to love and care for those we know who are lonely.