Day 9: Jesus, Our Friend

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Friendship is a gift. Friendship is a choice. We can't choose our relatives. But we can choose our friends.

A friend will be there to share your joy and your sorrow. A shoulder to cry on. Someone who rejoices in your victories as if they were the one who had one. True friends tell you the truth, even if it hurts, because they love you and want the best for you. Real friends will sacrifice their time and their money for a friend. A true friend is someone you can trust with your secrets. Someone who you can just be you with--let down your hair, let down your guard, take off the mask that you put on for others.

A real friend is someone whose company you relish--a place where you don't have to talk. You can just be in each other's presence in silence and be satisfied.

Jesus is our friend. He is our BFF. Best friend forever.

He is God. He is our Savior. He is holy. He is great and greatly to be praised. But he is our friend. We can be intimate with him. Share our deepest thoughts and feelings. He knows all of our secrets. He's seen us at our worse and he still loves us. He is the truth and the life. He is there to share our joy and sorrow. He loves us and wants the very best for us.

As Fred Hammond sang, I'm overwhelmed that Jesus would call me his friend. What a beautiful gift. Friendship with God. As Israel Houghton sang, "I am a friend of God." I am God's friends because I am Jesus' friend and Jesus is God and he brings us into a relationship with God the father.

Friendship is a gift and friendship is a choice. I'm so glad that Jesus chose me and I chose to be his friend.

"You are my friends if you do what I command. 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 Fahter I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." John 15: 14-17

Think of your friends. Why are you friends? What makes a good friend? Why is friendship important?

I praise Jesus for being a friend who...
I thank him for...