God Gave Us Friends

God gave us friends so that we
    could understand a part of Him,
    have a tangible picture of His care,
    have a visible representation of His covenantal Love
                              —His ever-faithfulness

Like stones in His pocket we're placed together
         sharpening,
         smoothing
     and making plain the rough places in each other
                              —and others.
  So that when He takes us out to look at us
     He sees beauty
         because the polished surfaces of our lives
              ƚɔɘlʇɘɿ — reflect
                  and
                     ɹoɹɹıɯ — mirror
                           HIM!

Stones of Fire—    His precious possessions
His prized gems,   radiating His Gentleness,
His brilliant Love—    blinding Holy fire.
In praise of Father's Firstborn,     Fair Prince of Peace,
Dayspring from on high,     angels dance in rainbow-spangled hues,
and God in Love,    with Holy Light—
Wisdom from verity—     into His vestments reaches
and pulls forth a stone,     and places in in the light.
"Rejoice!" they cry;     "My King!" it sings.
Then smiling, God     sets it back again.

Hallelujah! Lord your plans are so wise,
    Grafting us into a body to make us one another
                                  and
                                     one with You.

You give us friends to encourage,
           exhort,
                           rebuke,
                   and
             provoke in love
                    to do good works.

You have also given friends
   So that we might see
A glimpse of You through them
   Though imperfectly.
And in this imperfection
   We can see
The strange fusion
   Of God in humanity.
By His Life
   We're saved from death;
Through His Grace
   We have new Breath.
This Love that keeps us strong
   And makes us friends
Is the same Love of God
   Which holds us till the end!

- D. Benning

25-Apr-1984