Recently our congregation, the saints at Crossroads Church in Stone Mountain, had the treat of meeting their pastor’s college roommate. The Reverend Joseph C. Phillips and I have been joined at the heart since the fall of 1971. That’s a long time!
I rejoice that Joe and I have never had an argument that would make us not want to speak to each other. We lived together in a small residence hall room at Nyack College in New York. We are as different from each other as Felix Unger is from Oscar Madison. We truly are the Odd Couple.
Yet, our hearts are knitted together by the God we serve.
I hope you have, and are cultivating, longstanding friendships. There’s nothing wrong with new friendships: in fact, there is everything right about them. But those older ones with the patina of time on them…they are more precious.
With decades-old friendships, you don’t have to speak as much. You can finish each other’s sentences, and you need not be on your best behavior.
What a gift!
Glad the tomb is empty,
Pastor Farmer
May 15, 2016