Tahsas 23 — January 01

Abba Timothy, the Desert Friend

Abba Timothy had a mother and father who loved God, and they taught him to love God too. When he grew up, he became a monk and gave his days to quiet prayer.

Timothy built a little house near the monastery so he could welcome travelers and people who were poor, and give them something to eat. He worked hard with his hands, and he prayed every day.

But Timothy made some big mistakes, and he was very sorry. So he went deep into the desert to pray and start fresh. God helped him find a tiny green spot with a tall date tree and a spring of cool, sweet water, and there he lived and prayed.

Once Timothy got very sick with a bad pain in his tummy. He stayed patient and kept praying. Then God sent an angel, who touched him gently, and all at once he was well again. The angel spoke kind words and told him to keep close to God.

Timothy loved God for many, many years. God even let his hair grow long and soft to keep him warm like a cozy blanket. He was so gentle that wild animals came to visit him without any fear. At last he died in peace, happy and safe with God.

Behold, you are well now; take good care to stay close to God.— the angel to Timothy

David, the Shepherd King

Today we remember David, who was both a king and a prophet, one of the people God chose to speak His words. When David was young, he watched over his father's sheep. He was brave and kind, and most of all he loved God.

God sent a wise man named Samuel to choose a new king. Samuel looked at the tallest, strongest brother first. But God said something we should always remember. He does not pick people by how they look on the outside. He looks at the heart. So God chose David, the youngest, because David's heart loved Him.

David was gentle even to people who were unkind to him. A man named Saul once tried to chase David away, but when David had the chance to hurt him, he would not. It was not right, he said, to harm the king God had chosen.

David is famous for one very brave day. A giant soldier named Goliath was scaring everyone, and nobody dared to face him. Little David was not afraid, because he trusted God. With a sling, one small stone, and God helping him, David won, and everyone saw that God saves us.

Even though David was a great king, he stayed humble and called himself small. God loved him so much that He called David a man after His own heart. David lived a long life and died in peace, and he is still remembered with joy today.

The Lord does not look at the outside the way people do; the Lord looks at the heart.— 1 Samuel 16:7

I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart.— spoken by God

Abba Samuel, Abba Simon, and Abba Gabriel

On this day we also remember three holy friends who lived for God.

Abba Samuel was a monk who prayed near a city. A worried father asked him to pray for his very sick son, named Simon. God answered, and Simon got well again. Simon was so thankful that he became Samuel's helper and a monk too. God gave Samuel a special gift: once he filled a soft water-skin, and it never ran dry for ten whole years.

An angel showed Samuel and Simon where to build a church, and a kind king came and built them a big church and homes for many monks. Soon so many monks were praying together that it was like a happy little village.

After Samuel, it was Abba Simon and Abba Gabriel who led the monks. Abba Gabriel was humble and gentle, and God worked signs through him. One time a man left some gold with a monk, and that monk passed away without telling anyone where it was hidden. Abba Gabriel prayed, and God helped him find the gold so it could be given back. The owner went home amazed and thankful.

In Gabriel's time there was hard trouble for the churches, but after a while the trouble passed and God's people were safe again. Gabriel served God for many years, and then he died in peace.

More Friends of God

We also thank God for more of His holy ones on this day: Macarius, Andreas, Philip, Eiteltas, Cornelius, and Mercurius. They all loved God with their whole hearts, and we ask them to pray for us.