Friends have
stuck with me through valleys, and
prayed with me up mountains;
fed and cared for me when I was sick or recovering from surgery, and
"fed" and cared for me when my spiritual immune system needed strengthening;
worked like Trojans with me to make home improvements and to landscape, and
worked like slaves of God with me to minister to our church family;
listened to my woes and comforted me, and
blessed me with their honest and tough love when the time was right.
taken me on exotic trips to faraway lands, and
sat with me comfortably by the fireside with a cup of coffee;
gone the extra mile in my behalf, and
taught me practical shortcuts;
surprised me with generous gifts, and
shared their hand-me-downs and wisdom;
No one friend has done all of these things but each one has contributed to my life in numberless ways. The danger in having wonderful friends is the temptation to forget I have One Friend Who can do all of the above with Power from above.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted,
He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
1 Corinthians 10:13
"We limit the Holy One of Israel by remembering
what we have allowed Him to do in the past . . .
We will come to Jesus as Comforter or as Sympathizer,
but we will not come to Him as Almighty" (Chambers).
Since moving to Benton I'm making new friends but I've also become more keenly aware of my One Best Friend. I'm remembering the depth of my needs and the height of His Love and Power. He's quenching my thirst for friendship with His Presence and Generosity.
"Sir," the woman said, "You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep.
Where can You get this living water?"
John 4:11
I've moved but He hasn't.
"Yet I am always with You; You hold me by my right hand."
Psalm 73:23
Learning to depend on God first makes us better friends because no one friend expects miracles from the other. We each already have a Miracle Friend. Friends who rely on Jesus to be Almighty in their lives make the best friends because He eliminates the danger of us draining or smothering one another with unhealthy co-dependence.
What a Friend we have in You, Jesus, yet how awful we are about bypassing You to lay our burdens on a frail and struggling friend. Forgive us for expecting too much from each other and too little from You. You're the Almighty yet we handcuff You with our cell of faith. Teach us to let the cell divide and grow. Show us what You can do in Your church today and may we fall on our knees in gratitude for You, the Friend who sticks closer than a brother, Who always has our best interests at heart, and Who can remove the mountains and level the valleys.
In the Name of Jesus, Friend of sinners
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