Monday, June 16, 2008

The Encouragement of a Friend

Some days are just plain hard. Your day starts with a missed wake-up alarm, because your electric went out during the midnight storm; a traffic jam slows traffic on the highway to work; you miss an important deadline. Or, maybe a child gets sick at the worst possible moment and keeps you home from something you'd been looking forward to. Then, there are the days when we hear the worst possible news: cancer, death, unemployment, foreclosure.

No matter what kind of day you are having today, there is hope. Proverbs 18:24 tells us "a man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. " Do you have such a friend? Someone you can call even in the middle of the night? There are many I can call in my church or community that will respond quickly to my need. If you don't have such a friend, you'll want to reach outside of your comfort zone to develop new relationships. Be the kind of friend you want others to be and you'll soon discover you're never without a friend. And, don't be afraid to make friends of all ages, races and career levels - it will give you a much broader outlook.


For the ultimate friendship, turn to John 15:13. This passage tells us "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Jesus is that kind of friend! He knows when we are having a bad day or a good day. He knows when your family is going through hard times. And, most of all He layed down his life for us. Nothing we do deserves the gift of His precious life. We cannot repay Him for the free gift of salvation any more than you can pay back a friend for a gift they have given to you.

Joseph Scriven, an Irishman wrote the hymn
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" The words are as follows:

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!

So, next time you're having a bad day, call on Jesus. His cell phone is never busy, He's available 24/7, His services cost nothing, and well, the gifts He gives us are priceless!


- author, Cindy Daniels

What traits or qualities do you look for in a friend?

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