Friends

I guess I never realized how important friends are until my husband passed away and all of a sudden I realized that I had not made any close friends since I have lived in Washington.  I have family, of course, that love me and try to take care of me but the friends that I have always had in close proximity, I have not made since living here.

I have good friends but they are either gone or live far away so I cannot visit them or they cannot visit me.  One friend visits me twice a year and she is a faithful one, I love her and we have such a good time when she comes, wish she were closer.

Now, I said that I didn't have any close friends, but I do have friends but not the kind that visit or come by just to chat and see how I am doing.  That is what I miss, someone I can call when I am hurting or down and they will come over to just be with me for a while.  What a blessing those kinds of friends are!!!

I want to be that kind of friend to someone, but at my age it is hard to get out and do much of anything unless someone takes me or they are just a short distance away.

Now that I have told you all about my friend situation, I want to tell you about my very best friend.  He is always with me, beside me, counseling me, comforting me, blessing me with His presence and helping me through my hurting times, He is the One and only friend that will never fail me, ever.  I can talk to Him any time I want and don't even need a phone.  He walks beside me through thick and thin and helps me with my decision and He is always right, I never have to worry about His counsel.  At times I can feel His presence close beside me, even though I can't see Him I know He is there and every day He becomes more dear to me than any earthly friend could ever be.  You guess it, His name is Jesus.  What a friend I have in Him.

There is a song, 'What a friend we have in Jesus'.  It is so very true, He is the best friend you could ever possibly have.  He never turns away from us, we have to turn from Him if we don't want His presence.
It's always our choice.

Proverbs 18:24 last part "There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother".

Jesus said in John 15:15,16  "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.  You did not choose Me, but I have chosen you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give it to you."

He chose me to be His friend and keeps me informed as to His Father's will for me and has appointed me to bear fruit so that whatever I ask the Father in His name He will give it to me.  I realize that I must ask according to His will not mine, that is called surrendering my will to His.  Not an easy task but very rewarding to those who are willing to do that.

What do you think of my Friend?  I love Him and hope that you do to.  He is the very best friend you could possibly have and never fails to love us and care for us, even in our most dire need, He is there.

Grandma Joan