by Justin Morton
Our family has spent the last couple of days in Knoxville celebrating our dear friends’ daughter’s wedding. We have been planning and talking about this weekend for almost a year. While I have been honored to officiate several weddings over the years, honestly, this time just hit differently. We have known the bride and her family for thirteen years. We vacationed together, ate meals together and spent countless hours in one another’s homes laughing the night away. We celebrated highs and mourned lows together. And even though we moved away from Knoxville, we remain close friends with this wonderful family.
As I prepared for the wedding, I was reminded of how important it is to have deep, godly friendships as we walk through this life. Even Jesus, the very Son of God, had a close group of friends while He lived on this earth (Matt. 10:1-4; Mk. 5:37). Deep relationships are vital. The Bible teaches essential thoughts such as, “A friend loves at all times” (Prov. 17:17) and “The sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel” (Prov. 27:9). You and I need people in our lives we can count on to not only love us, but to be there for us and to share godly wisdom with us.
This weekend has been special for my family as we celebrated this momentous occasion with some of our closest friends. We couldn’t imagine not being a part of it. Are you making the effort to build lasting relationships with other believers? If not, start today! Invest in relationships with brothers and sisters who will laugh with you, cry with you and help you get to heaven.