"How are you, my friend?"
The cashier greeted me kindly,
as he always does when I go through his line at the grocery store.
After he handed my receipt, his farewell was just as warm.
"Have a good day, my friend."
It can be a little lonely living in a metropolis with roughly 3.5 million people,
and his greeting always reminds me that not every one of those
roughly 3.5 million people are indifferent.
I love and have learned to use this greeting from
Kelly-Across-the-Street, "How are you, friend?"
The best marriage advice I was ever given:
"Marry a man who is your best friend and then stay friends."
The best advice from my Dad before I went to Bible camp the first time alone,
"To have a friend, you must be a friend."
We all long for deep friendships.
We want to bear our souls to them and know we still have their heart.
We want to fill their ears, knowing it won't all leave through their mouth.
Beautiful songs have been sung about friendship.
Our greatest joys in life come from friendships,
whether with our spouse, friends or people within our family.
Our greatest sorrows in life come from rifts in those friendships,
through church splits, divorce and unresolved conflicts.
A lot of problems are solved just by having a friend in life.
There is something about sharing tears, hugs and laughs
that binds souls together forever.
Now that I have you all nostaligic and sentimental about
friends,
let me remind you something....
The Lord Jesus doesn't consider those who trust in Him
just a servant, although we love serving Him,
He calls us his
John 15:13 tells us how He made friendship with us possible.
Greater love has no one than this,
than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
It's an amazing concept that our greatest need on earth,
to have a
friend,
was met first and foremost by the One
who purchased our salvation with His blood.
When you're feeling down and troubled
and you need some loving care,
just call His Name,
He's always been there.
We always have a
Friend.
And how wonderful it is that that friend is perfect and unchanging.
ReplyDeleteThanks for these thoughts. :)
What a special post!! If I had read this a few days ago I would have gotten all emotional about it. A few times in my adult life, when all the props of friendship have been removed for a season, it has caused me to draw near to the Lord. The truest friend of all. Your post was such a blessing.
ReplyDeleteWe used to sing, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" in church all the time. Now that I'm older I realize just how special that relationship is. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Friend! *wink
Amen, my bloggy-friend, amen ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove the hymn, love the post!! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat friend sticks closer than a brother. Because we love Him we have these precious friends here on earth, all parts of one body. Marvellous, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful year in 2012 as you walk with the Lord.