No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. (John 15: 15, NKJV).
Dear God, it is with joy that we enter your presence; grateful for the opportunity and the privilege that is ours to take everything to You in prayer. For this we give You thanks in the name of Your Son and our Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen.
“Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer” (Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, pg. 499).
Everyone who has had an encounter with the Savior would answer the question asked by the author, I believe, with a resounding “Yes!” It is not hard to understand why such sentiments as, “The best friend to have is Jesus”, or, “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold;” have been penned, and why those who have experienced God’s faithfulness have been inspired to write:
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him” (Psalm 34: 8)!
There is no friend like Jesus! His faithfulness goes beyond anything we can imagine. He bears our burdens, shares our sorrows, provides for our needs, mends our brokenness, lifts us when we fall, speaks peace to our storms, gives us songs in the night, and helps us to smile through our tears – or dries them. And He will be there when every earthly friend abandon us.
Knowing all about our weaknesses He loves us unconditionally, and declares His love to us: “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘ “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. . . .” ‘ ” In the midst of our failures His love abides forever.
In the midst of your depression, remorse and distress, remember “He calls [you] friend!”