1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Daily Prayer, 2 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: a podcast dedicated to helping you find the words you 3 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: need to connect with your Father in Heaven. No matter 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: what is going on in your life today, you can 5 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after 6 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: this short word from our sponsor, people pray through today's 7 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 1: prayer to be a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: Together a prayer to be a friend who sticks closer 9 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: than a brother, written by Vivian Breaker, read by Kirieiberger. 10 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin. But 11 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 12 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:17,919 Speaker 1: Proverbs eighteen, verse twenty four. My friend recently lost her baby. 13 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: I had met with her the week before, and I 14 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: grew concerned when she seemed to be struggling just to 15 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: get around the store. While I understand that women in 16 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: their third trimester often feel tired, I could tell something 17 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:36,279 Speaker 1: wasn't right. The following Sunday, my friend and her husband 18 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: went to the doctor and discovered that their baby no 19 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: longer had a heartbeat. After a few days, labor was 20 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: induced and their precious child was stillborn. I woke up 21 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: to the heartbreaking text baby is with Jesus. While I 22 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: have never experienced what my friend went through, I do 23 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: understand grief. Witness the death of a loved one is 24 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: something I wish no one ever had to endure. My 25 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: heart ached for my friend as I knew she and 26 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 1: her husband were just beginning the long journey of sorrow. 27 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: In our group chat, everyone began asking what they could 28 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: do to help. While those questions came from a loving place, 29 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: I knew from experience that nothing can truly take away 30 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: the pain of a greeting heart. Even though we could 31 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: not remove the deep ache of loss, we did what 32 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: we could. We organized a meal train, sent gift cards, 33 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: picked up groceries, and covered them in prayer. We asked 34 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: the Lord to bring comfort and peace that only he 35 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 1: can provide. The wise writer of Proverbs tells us one 36 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:50,399 Speaker 1: who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin. But there 37 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. It 38 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: matters deeply who we choose as friends. Some people can 39 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: lead us down roads of sin, pain, and separation from God. 40 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: But when we choose friends who love the Lord wholeheartedly, 41 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: we find the kind of friend who sticks closer than 42 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: a brother. These are their friends who show up during 43 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: the hardest seasons, in the aftermath of losing a job, 44 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,800 Speaker 1: the end of a relationship, with the death of a child, 45 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 1: And just as importantly, we are called to become that 46 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: kind of friend ourselves. Are we being a friend who 47 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: sticks closer than a brother or sister? Would we truly 48 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: drop everything to help someone in their time of need? 49 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: Or are we more focused on our own lives. Becoming 50 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: a friend who sticks closer than a sibling takes time 51 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: and intention. We cannot be fear whether friends who remain 52 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: only when life is easy. Instead, we must stay the storms, 53 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: the pain, and the uncertainties of life. When we commit 54 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: to loving others this way, it changes us. Yes, it 55 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: teaches us to place others needs above our own. It 56 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: pushes us to grow less self centered, and equips us 57 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: to serve in God's kingdom with humility and compassion. Today, 58 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: consider how you can be a friend who sticks closer 59 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: than a brother. Go to the Lord and prayer. Ask 60 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: him to reveal any ways you may have fallen short 61 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 1: in the past. Invite him to shape your heart according 62 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: to his word. Continue walking in obedience to scripture and 63 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 1: leaning on God for strength. He will help you grow 64 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: into the faithful, sadfast friend calls you to be. Let's pray. 65 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: Dear Lord, help me to be a friend who sticks 66 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: closer than a brother. I want to be a good 67 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: friend who shows your love, kindness, and compassion and my 68 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: daily actions when my friends walk through difficult season. Help 69 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: me to be a steady source of support. Teach me 70 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: when to be a quiet shoulder to cry on and 71 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 1: when to gently offer wisdom. Give me discernment and every situation. 72 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: If I fall short of being the friend you've called 73 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: me to be, lovingly correct me, redirect my heart, and 74 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: continue shaping me into someone who honors you and my relationships. 75 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: Thank you, Lord for correcting me and discipling me in 76 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: the way I should go. Amed Your Daily Prayer is 77 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: a production of Life Audio and Sale Media. If you 78 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: haven't already, be sure to follow the show in your 79 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. For 80 00:05:51,960 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: more faithfulled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio dot com.