I’ve been thinking a lot lately about friendships and just how precious they are on this earth. What a great gift God gives to us. I had the opportunity to reconnect recently with a friend I hadn’t connected with in many years. Even though we were close childhood friends, you know the basement roller skating type, college and life had intervened in our friendship. As old good friendships work, we reconnected over a difficult life experience. That’s just how the gift works.
While speaking over the phone she said that even though we had not stayed close over the years, she had felt like we picked up where we left off and our childhood friendship “transcended time.” That’s the phrase I’ve been chewing on since – I even made a note of it, and posted it on my desk.
Transcend means to overcome, to go beyond ordinary limits. What she was saying is that our friendship had withstood the test of time over the years, that regardless of our life’s physical locations, time could not diminish the friendship. The friendship, the love, the connection, the comfort, the support were still intact, regardless of the amount of separation by time. It’s taken me a while to grasp its meaning. Now that I have it’s taken on a whole new context for me.
It reminded me that our relationship with God, our friendship with Him or His friendship with us (cause He’s definitely the better friend) also transcends time. Think about that – God’s friendship with us transcends time. This friendship surpasses time. When I think about this, I’m completely humbled.
His friendship with me, with you, transcends all time! Process that out. The dictionary offers another definition of transcend “to be prior to, beyond, and above (the universe or material existence).” The dictionary definition people must have done a little research…
I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world. Jeremiah 1:5
It’s so hard to take in, but roll that around for a minute. He “knew” us “before” we were even formed. He yada us before we were yatsa. He knew us, he recognized us, he cared for us, he acknowledged us before we came out, before we appeared. I know that’s pretty deep stuff, to think that God knew us, loved us, planned a friendship with us, before we were born. But, that’s just how big our God is! It should make us think…
His friendship with us transcends all time. Let alone the fact that He knew us before we were, He longs to know us for eternity. What’s eternity? Unending time, infinite, timelessness, forever, without end.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
You know, people will come and go, family will come and go, friends will come and go. There is only One whose friendship is for all time, before the beginning of our time. The One who knew us before we were formed, the One who will know us for all eternity, if we believe, if we trust, if we have faith, if we surrender. Who wouldn’t want a friend like that, that loved us so much, before our time, that they want to spend forever and ever with us and made it possible for us to do so?
We must think it through because eternity is a very long time. Where do we want to spend our forever? Our friendship choice today will impact our forever. I urge you to chose the only Friend who transcends all time. One who will never leave or forsake you.
What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer
Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer