Mourning

Feeling a little sad today.

A friend from work's son is getting married this weekend. I love this friend a lot. She's my closest friend at work, and we share our hearts. What we don't share is a love for the Lord.

We were fast friends from the start. From my first day of work, we clicked and soon were sharing our life stories. Except for one part. Something has happened in her world at some point that has led her to a place in life that a relationship with Christ or even God is not what she wants.

About six months into our friendship, she gave me a card, thanking me for my friendship and letting me know how much it means to her. There was more. She said I'd shown her something no one else in her life ever had: that two people who don't see things the same could still be friends.

There have been many times over the years that I have shared about my faith, just as a matter of the fact that it's a big part of my life. It impacts how I approach the things that touch my life. I pray. I seek Him. I talk about Him. She listens. She acknowledges. She doesn't take part in those conversations.

Back to today. As I said, her son is getting married on Saturday, and she'll be off work tomorrow and Friday. As I left for work, I asked my husband to pray that I'd know if I was supposed to pray with her for the weekend. Hours later, as the day was coming to an end and I knew she'd be leaving soon, I found her in her office, closed the door, and told her I had something kind of awkward to ask her. I pulled a chair over near hers and asked if I could pray with her for her weekend.

She stumbled a little with her words, saying it was okay with her as long as I didn't care if she didn't participate. I asked if she would mind, and she said she didn't care. I almost backed out, say I'll pray later, but instead, I moved ahead, put my hand on her knee, and said a simple prayer. I asked God to bless the weekend, maintain a peace and a calm, and bring many years of happiness to the new couple.

When I finished with "In Jesus name, Amen", I looked up at her and thanked her for letting me pray. I don't remember if she said anything, and I'm pretty sure she didn't close her eyes or bow her head. But, I know she heard, and I know He heard.

And, now, I'm sad. I have been ever since because I can't imagine what has happened in this sweet friend's life that has brought her to the place where God holds no attraction for her, where 'cold' is what I see in her eyes when I speak of Him, and where this really good person does not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you're reading this, could you pray for my friend, and pray for me, that I'll be Christ with skin on for her, and that somehow, through the grace of Jesus Christ, I'll be able to help her move beyond the hurt that has brought her where she is now to an abiding faith in Him, a saving faith that will remove that 'cold' from her eyes and give her a warmth that radiates from them instead?

I love my friend, and I really want to spend eternity with her.