This is a true story.  My best friend told me about three years ago, he
lives in another state, that based upon what his church was giving him to do
as far as ministry expansion was concerned, he wouldn't be able to talk to
me as often.  I wasn't certain what that meant because we had only been
talking about once or twice every two years at that time.  When we did call
each other, after a year, or more had passed, we would often talk for hours.
A couple of days would pass, and one of us would call again and we would
talk for hours once again.  Then another year, sometimes two, would go by,
and we wouldn't talk at all by phone.  Once and awhile we would exchange
emails but otherwise, it was quiet between extended periods of time.  When
he told me three years ago that he would be working on a special project for
his church and that he wouldn't be able to call like he used to, even back
then, knowing what the project was, I couldn't understand why he was telling
me he wouldn't be able to talk as often when we weren't talking all that
often in the first place.  No, I have not called him in three years either.
Why?  Because he said he would be busy and when I have thought, and prayed,
for him, I have not felt the Lord telling me to call.  On top of that, I
have emailed him probably a half a dozen times, and once, I got a reply, but
it was very short, like a single sentence and had no information concerning
what he was doing, his family, the ministry, or anything of a personal
nature.  His message simply acknowledged he got my message.  That was
perhaps a year ago.  Now, what would you think by this point?  This man and
I have been closest of friends since bible college days when we were
roommates.  We did everything together.  We even traveled together and
preached in churches together for a couple of years back in the seventies.
We have always kept in touch and spent hundreds of hours on the phone
talking about the Lord.  He is one of the most faithful men of God I know
and He has the gift of evangelism and probably wins more people to Christ
than anybody I personally know.  It is natural for him.  So, without knowing
the ministry he was asked by his church to do, what's your best guess about
this situation?  We used to call each other and discuss personal things we
were facing.  Now, for three years, nothing.  Dead.  No, if he were dead,
his wife would call me.  So, it has really confused me to think about it
because it just isn't like this friend of mine who is a pastor.  It seems
very mysterious to me for some reason.  Why would you tell your best friend,
someone you only speak to once or twice every other year, that you wouldn't
be able to talk as much because your life was going to be taken up by the
new ministry you were in.  What, by the way, do you think we always talked
about during those hours on the phone?  Jesus.  We talked about nothing but
Jesus, the ministry, winning people to Christ, theology, the Holy Spirit,
and never about anything else.  Jesus is what my friend and I have slept,
dreamed, eaten, and talked and walked about our entire lives.  It is all we
cared about period.  Even when we traveled, we talked hour after hour about
the Lord and His Word.  Like I said, it is very strange but I feel no
leading to make contact.  Any ideas?

Phil.


He's ready when you are.
www.SafePlaceFellowship.com