Recently, I went to a church conference, and one of the speakers shared this video with us, to show us the power of life-long friendships that are so deeply anchored in love and trust, and so richly bound by shared memories and dreams.
I looked back in my life, and I realised that God has indeed blessed me with many wonderful friends to see me through different seasons and chapters. Many of these friends continued to be a part of my life, as God wove our paths to converge time and time again. Friends are really His most precious gifts to me, angels without wings, yet they can lift me up from my filthiest pits and sing with me through my thickest nights. Even when they are not with me, the love they have shown me continued to shine on and make me smile, filling my heart with thanks, that someone, somewhere, knows and loves me.
Do you have a friend, or friends, with whom you can truly be yourself, and know that you will be accepted and loved without judgement? A safe haven that you can just laugh, cry and shout freely, and know they understand? Do you have friends who can make the dullest task, a breeze of fun and joy, or the scariest challenge, an inspiring adventure with a brother/sister by your side? Do you have friends whom you know will be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on, or just a companion to make grieving a less lonely journey? Do you have friends whom you would like to grow old with? If you do, you can count yourself the very blessed few! :-)
Jesus is the Perfect Friend, who stepped out and sought His friends from the beginning; believed in them till the very end; nurtured them to grow in character, love and wisdom; challenged them to break out of their comfort zones, yet caught them when they thought they were going to sink into the sea of self-doubt and shame; served them with gentleness and humility, stooping low to wash their dirty feet; standing bravely in the gap to pray and encourage them even as He prepared to meet His end; bared the anguish of His soul to them as He prayed in sweats like drops of blood before them in the Garden of Gethsemane; conveying His love and forgiveness to them even as He hung on the cross, forsaken by those He loved; and finally laying down His life for them, so that He can make all things new for them, and for the very ones that rejected Him.
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:12,13
O Lord, grant me Your grace to be a true friend, as You have graced my life with so many precious gems. Teach me to see as You see, to listen as You listen; to give as You have given, and love as You have loved.
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