I'm hoping that the clouds break up. In an hour, I'll be on the tee box for my first golf outing of the season. With me will be my long-time friend and baseball buddy, Andy. (Our trip to St. Louis is only weeks away!) Mark will be with us too.
My heart toward Mark was given words the last time we met. He was holding a cup of Caribou coffee and the cup's sleeve read, "You are holding our pride and joy".
When my eyes landed on the words, I knew that they meant something more to me than Caribou's feelings toward their product. Those words certaily described God's heart toward my friend. But they are mine toward him as well.
Mark and I met a couple of years ago when he called on me as a salesman. He had become a Christian only weeks earlier. I bought him a Bible and we started meeting every week or so to study the scriptures.
Mark soaks up the truth of the Word. In the past months, God has done a stunning work in this young man. Along with giving him a desire for truth, He has lead him into baptism and given him a lovely fiance. He is seeing God bless his work and relationships. He seeks God over his decisions.
The discipleship relationship that Mark and I have has helped me understand how the apostle Paul speaks of some of the people who he disciples. To the Thessalonians, he says, "you are our glory and joy." Of the Corinthians, he writes "you are in our hearts . . . I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort . . . I am overflowing with joy."
Which is how I feel about Mark . . . my glory and joy.
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