Brotherly love

 

Let brotherly love continue. - Hebrews 13:1

 

Now we start the chapter we might title the Life of Faith. At the top of the list, as you might expect, is a reminder for brotherly love to continue.

 

This is not the agape love we often we often ready about. This is the familial love that gives us and family and friends. It the love that binds us together in friendship.

 

There are very few things as precious as real friends. I have many friends who have been my friends now for many decades. Their friendship is this filial love that the writer of Hebrews speaks of here. It is the love that ties physical and spiritual family together. True phileo love will carry on and on and one.

I think continuing is the true test of brotherly love. If we have it we endure through hard times and choose to overlook the weaknesses and quirks of our friends. It doesn’t mean we overlook sin, but it does endure even the times when they do not do what we like.

In fact, that is when continuing is really put to the test. What happens if a friend is failing and won’t listen? Do we give up on them and forget them?

No. that is when continuing love just keeps loving and praying. The words of ‘Prayer for a Friend’ say it so well.

 

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I've done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You
Complicated circumstances have clouded his view
Lord, I lift my friend up to You

I fear that I won't have the words that he needs to hear
I pray for Your wisdom, oh God, and a heart that's sincere
Lord, I lift my friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You
My best friend in the world, I know he means much more to You
I want so much to help him, but this is something he has to do
And Lord, I lift my friend up to You

'Cause there's a way that seems so right to him
But You know where that leads
He's becoming a puppet of the world, too blind to see the strings
Lord, I lift my friend up to You
My friend up to You

Lord, I lift my friend to You, I've done all that I know to do
I lift my friend to You

 

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