Sunday, July 1, 2007

I call you friends

John 15:15 "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
 
Yesterday Shirley and I spent several hours hanging out in Virginia Beach with friends I've known for over 35 years.  These were guys I went to the Naval Academy with and their wives.  Whenever we get together, inevitably, the talk goes to memories of shared experiences from a very challenging time in our lives, when we were young men moving to adulthood in a place that tested us and restricted us but also forged us.  We don't meet all that often...maybe 3 or 4 times a year...but it is always so easy and so sweet to be together.  They are like brothers.  I know there is nothing I couldn't share with them...whether a physical need or a family problem.  I also know that they'd go to great lengths to help me, just because we're friends.  The thought today centers on Jesus as our friend.  Just consider the other names Jesus also carries: The Word of God, Bread of Life, The Great Shepherd, The Lamb of God, Son of God and Son of Man, The Bread of Life (and many others).  God, HImself, has come to us (Emmanuel).  The one who formed it all and then redeemed us by the greatest act of sacrifice.  The one who feeds us with truth we can count on.  The one who left the majesty of heaven to walk with us.  He is our God and yet it is so sweet to be with Him.  There's nothing we can't say to Him or ask of Him.  He won't withhold any good thing from us because He wants the best for us.  He did the hard work so we could have a relationship where it was sweet to be with Him.
 
A great price was paid and a great victory over sin achieved that, ultimately, we might become friends with our living Lord!
 
blessings,
Rob Smith

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