Death of a Friend

For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.  He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee. - Psalm 55:13-23

David here is talking about his close friend Ahithophel who betrayed him by aligning with David's son to conspire against him.  David was heart broken by both betrayals and turned to the Lord to cast his care on Him.  I was reading this psalm this morning and started to think of some news I heard yesterday.  I was at my mom's house yesterday and I just heard that a friend of mine from high school died last week.  He's been a friend of mine on facebook as well.  I was shocked because he had passed away in his sleep at the age of 41 (or, at least I think he was 41.  I know he was one grade below me.).  Who would have thought that you would just die in your sleep in the prime of your life?  I have to admit, that I really don't know what kind of life Sean was leading since he got out of high school.  We were joke around friends in high school.  I timed for the boys' track team and we spent many bus rides together just joking around.  It was a lot of fun.  It wasn't his untimely death that so impacted me.  About a year ago, I was sending out songs that I had posted on youtube (Christian songs) along with Bible verses.  Sean had sent me a message asking me not to send him the Bible verses because he's not religious and doesn't believe in God.  I'm not saying that Sean betrayed me, but the parallel is timely.  Unless Sean got saved in the last year, unfortunately, right now he's realizing that there is a God and that he forsook Him.  I don't mean to sound heartless, I just wish that Sean had listened.  I wonder how many other people were sent across his path with the message of the gospel, only to be turned away.  If you're reading this and you aren't saved, you may be thinking, 'she has no idea what she's talking about.  Sean was a good guy.'  I read the posts on his wall on facebook and it seems like his friends all think that he's in some spiritual bliss right now.  If you're reading this and you don't know for sure if you are going to heaven, I implore you  to seek it out.  You can know for sure that you're going to heaven.  It's as simple and easy as just saying, 'Jesus, I know I'm a sinner and I don't have a place in heaven unless you save me from my sin.'  It doesn't take good works or super spirituality.  It just takes believing on Jesus.  If you are saved and reading this, please pray for the people you know that aren't saved.  Keep praying and praying.  We prayed for my brother in law for years before he got saved.  Sometimes all someone needs is someone who is willing to take a stand for them and keep praying.  Spread the news.  Our time here is short and getting shorter by the day.  Don't assume because someone is young that they have a long time before they need to get saved.  Let them know that now is the day of salvation.