They regularly come to the park that I frequent at sunset—this group of young bright women. They always bring their gaiety to overflow to the others in the little seaside place. They come to do some stretches, and yoga poses, but mostly they seem to come for the joy of sharing in a moment of refreshment with friends who have made it a priority to make a statement to one another about how vital they are to a life of buoyancy during all of the other times. They may have a lot in common, and they may also be quite different in their life places, but they come in the garb of play, with hair tucked-up from the winds, and with the song-like sounds of sweet recognition.

Seeing them always reminds me about the impact of fellowship upon our spiritual health--about how the face of a friend is far better than any prescription that could ever be written. In one of Paul’s New Testament letters he wrote this incredible note upon the character of his friend, saying: “For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” (Philemon 7) I imagine these women having a version of this verse resonating in their hearts later in the evening when meals must be served, and responsibilities have their own and very different tune than the one by the ocean.

This kind of fellowship brings with it a depth of foundation that strengthens hearts for a new resiliency in even the most seriously demanding of times. The comfort of a friend readily brings a valiant heart because: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17) The refreshment of the time by the waves brings back the rhythm of a love that inspires and surrounds us with comfort. The renewal comes from the deepest place of knowing that a friend bears the same name as the One Who in John 15:15 called Himself our Friend.

I continue to watch them meet under the stained-glass-window light of the brilliant Pacific sunset. Their movements are praise dances to my heart. Their greetings are the most blessed celestial worship music. My soul that longs after such instruction hears their affirmations on the wind as a mighty sermon. The stretching that they do makes for the flexible knees of prayer. The awe that comes from seeing the rays of rainbow light separate as the sun goes below the horizon allows for the hush of wonder--the deeply mysterious understanding that our curious hearts can never know about it all, but can stand silently before the Creator’s beauty. And when the women stand shoulder to shoulder I think of how a friend is born both to share our joys and our sorrows in the blessed lavishing of their passion for us.

This morning two friends came and bore me away to the seaside to make the time for praise-laughter, and to be certain that we stayed attuned to the sound of each other’s lives. Their joyous faces took me to the same church that goes beyond the walls of my local sanctuary. We were by the Pacific in that place where I remembered the women singing, dancing, praying, encouraging and strengthening each other for a mighty walk in the palette of His joy over us. There were great streams of gold in shades indescribable in an all-around embrace. This embrace reached out with muscular golden arms to every one in the park at the earth’s edge. I tucked-up my hair, made sure that I was dressed for the frolic, and was made safe by the songs of my friends and by the anthem of the Hymnmaker—the Lord Who is the Author of Friendship.