It Is Good to Be Thankful: Appreciation makes the world a better place…
Some people lament that they don’t have any friends but that’s not really true if they have Jesus in their lives. Imagine getting a notification from Facebook saying: Jesus wants to be your friend. Would you press the accept icon? We should because Jesus really does want to be our friend. I’m so thankful because as the old song goes, “What a friend we have in Jesus!”
People will always disappoint us. Even our best friends can sometimes let us down, but Jesus never will. We will never find a more faithful, loyal, or encouraging friend. He’s our cheerleader. No matter what we go through, He is with us all the way. He’ll never leave or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)
Jesus told the disciples, “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).
The disciples might have been surprised when Jesus called them friends but that’s how He felt. He walked with them, talked with them, and even washed their feet. He shared intimate details of His own relationship with God the Father and invited them to participate in that relationship.
Jesus also said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). I guess He meant it because that’s what He did. He died for His disciples and He died for us.
There is no better friend to have than Jesus. Just think about it. He accepts us unconditionally. He loves us when we are unlovable. He wants to spend time with us. He wants only the best for us. He rejoices with us when we accomplish something. He comforts us when we are weary. He picks us up when we fall. He stays with us when we are frightened. He cries with us when we are sad. He laughs with us when we are happy. That’s what friends do.
As we travel life’s highway, friends can come and go. Sadly, some BFFs will drift out of our lives and become distant memories. Sometimes they move and it’s hard to stay in contact. Sometimes they get offended and no amount of apologizing can soothe the hurt. Sometimes they change and don’t want to have us in their inner circle any more. However, the friendship with Jesus can remain constant.
Jesus does not change. If our friendship with Jesus dwindles, it’s because we no longer desire to be friends with Him. We will always be welcome into that Trinitarian “in-crowd”—that inner circle of friends—Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and us.
*****
“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord...” ~ Psalms 92:1 (KJV)
