Growing into Christ (3)

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go the house of the LORD.” Psalm 122.1

Spiritual Friendship
Aelred of Rievaulx (1109-1167)
“Friendship will be full of riches for those who cherish it when it is completely centered upon God; for those whom friendship joins together, it immerses in the contemplation of God.”

True friends spend time together in the Lord’s presence – sharing favorite passages of Scripture, praying and singing to the Lord, talking with one another about His abundant goodness, truth, and grace. True friends encourage one another in their relationship with the Lord, talking about the enjoyment they derive from Him, the insights they are gaining, and the ways He is at work in their lives. Friends I talk with from different states lead me into the Lord’s presence by sharing from their morning devotions, praying with and for me, and probing me to learn what the Lord is doing in my life these days. We need such friendships, brethren, friends who will keep us centered upon God and gladly join us in His holy throne-room. Such friendships are a critical component of the work of making disciples.

If we are truly together in the presence of the Lord, the Lord will be the focus of our words and meditations. Can you think of some ways to bring more of this experience into your friendships?

T. M. Moore

The journey of spiritual maturity
Growing into the Lord is both a personal and corporate adventure. Each us can become more like Jesus, and so can our churches. As we do, we will impact people, culture, and our times for the glory of God and progress of Christ’s Kingdom. Our free, online course, Introduction to Spiritual Theology, provides an outline and overview of the journey toward spiritual maturity. For more information and to register, click here.

Pastoral Hope Initiative
Pastor, where are you in your walk with and work for the Lord? Are you growing? Covering all the bases? Working fruitfully toward the Kingdom of God? Our Pastoral Hope Initiative can help you establish a framework and baseline for steady, fruitful growth into the Lord Jesus; and for the remainder of this spring, we’re waiving the fee for men who want to work through this 14-week protocol. Watch this brief video, then, if you’re interested, let me hear from you at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations from Aelred of Rievaulx, Spiritual Friendship, tr. By Mark F. Williams (Scranton: The University of Scranton Press, 1994, 2002).