Tuesday, February 11, 2020

The Importance of Friendship


Friendship
by Patty Smith
January 28, 2019

Friends are very important to us as we live are lives. The encouragement, help and love they give us enables us to embrace life well.

In 2012, Larry and I were in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia beginning a new school for our organization, NICS. During that time Larry became very ill.  Dr. Peter Ng, who is a medical doctor and the Pastor for the local church, took one look at Larry during Sunday morning service and told Larry he was ill and that after church he would take us to the hospital.

That afternoon, Dr. Ng took us to the hospital, where he had admitting privileges, and checked Larry into the emergency room.  When Dr. Ng talked to the emergency room doctor he said, “This is my friend. Take good care of him.” Larry retold that story to me and spoke of how those words were so encouraging to him. The hospital staff took the best care of him and found the cancer, which took his life in 2014, within a week.

Just as Dr. Ng told the emergency doctor to take good care of Larry, as he was his friend, Jesus will stand in our stead and tell God our Heavenly Father that we are His friends. The first verse of the old song “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” says this:

              “What a friend we have in Jesus 
              All our sins and griefs to bear!
              What a privilege to carry 
              Everything to God in prayer!”

I returned from a short term mission in Lima, Peru in August 2019 and am glad to be back worshiping at Patuxent Presbyterian Church. Thank you for praying for me and supporting me during my bv solo missionary experience in Lima, Peru.  I am blest to be back amongst my friends.  

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