My Friend
You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:14 (NIV)
I have had many friends during my lifetime. Some were just momentary for that time in my life. There have been a few others that have gone back to my childhood. I cherish them all! However, those that are life long, I value the most. We all have some. But my BFF is Jesus. We spend lots of time together. Pamela Toussaint Howard (Mornings with Jesus) shares some adventures with her Friend.
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There’s a Sunday worship song that I love called “Friend of God” by Israel Houghton. I sing with gusto because the words remind me that my relationship with God is not only one between a sovereign deity and a lowly human but also one between friends. How great to know I am God’s friend! As I grew in my relationship with Him, He began to challenge me, as His friend, to be His ams and legs in my community. Whoa…um, OK.
One day He asked me to comfort a woman who heard voices and sat mumbling loudly in our courtyard each day. He said to lay my hand on shoulder and simply say, “It’s OK. Jesus loves you.” I did, and she stopped mumbling. Then my Friend asked me to offer prayer to an older man who had scratched his cornea while tending his rosebushes. I did, and the next day he called and told me his optician said the scratch had disappeared! One winter afternoon, my Friend God asked me to give my scarf to the homeless woman who sat shivering in her giant garbage bag at a busy bus depot. I did. She took it, said thanks, and got up and moved. I feel His pressure when I partner with Him to do these things.
This friendship I sing about on Sundays is not just skipping through the tulips hand in hand with Him through life. There is another level of responsibility to this awesome friendship with God—doing what our Friend wants done on earth.
Loving Lord, thank You for our friendship and for allowing us to call You our friend. You are amazing, so big, and we are so small. Thank You for loving us. AMEN.