Happy Father's Day to one of the very BEST father's that I know! Your beautiful, fun, smart, creative and loving daughters are a testament to that! The word for this week is "closer". It's only found once in the entire KJV Bible. Proverbs 18:24:
24 A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. KJV
This is the Hebrew word "dabeq". Strong's Concordance says this: adhering. Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon adds: clinging to. The word "friend" in this verse gives us a clearer understanding. The first "friends" is the Hebrew word "rea`". Strong's Concordance says: an associate. Brown-Driver-Briggs adds: a companion, a fellow-citizen. The type of "friend" that sticks "closer" is the Hebrew word "`ahab". Strong's Concordance says: a primitive root: to have affection for (sexual or otherwise). Brown-Driver-Briggs adds; to love. Vine's Expository Dictionary speaks of the strong attachment of a servant toward a master and of the special friendship between David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:1).
This type of friendship goes even deeper than a sibling relationship. This is the type of friendship that is a part of your relationship with Kristine. It can also be a part of the relationship we may have with certain other born again believers. The greatest example of this, though, is the relationship that we have with God and the fellowship that we can have through the indwelling Holy Spirit. HE will never leave us or turn away from us. If WE make that same commitment, we can have that close and intimate fellowship with Him that gives us confidence in every situation! Here is another new song from Hillsong United called "Closer Than You Know" that speaks to that! It's pretty long, but a great example of that intimacy.
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
