Friendship

Ever since I started this blog, I have been hard pressed not to have my postings come off as Sunday school lessons. I guess almost 20 years of teaching at youth group and in youth classes on Sunday mornings will do that to a person. There is really nothing wrong with that, but in 2010, I think I want to go in a little bit of a different direction.


My spiritual journey has taken some unusual, but not totally unexpected turns in the last few months, and truth be told, I'm still trying to figure them out. Therefore, I'm going to try and journal my spiritual journey here on my blog. For me, writing like this is spiritually therapeutic. It helps me to understand what I believe, and hopefully it will solicit some dialogue with readers that will help to clarify things even more.

I know I am going to write things that some of you may not understand or even take offense with. Please know that I am only being honest with you and myself in hopes of stimulating some open paths to a new understanding of Jesus and who he is to us.
Last night as I was reading God's Word, I came upon the passage where Jesus told his followers that now they had become his friends. ( John 15 ). The first thought that came to my mind was that old song "What a friend we have in Jesus". So I started to sing it and pay close attention to the words. I won't go into that right now, I'll leave that research up to you. But I will tell you that by the time I was done, I became more and more amazed by the very idea that Jesus wants to be friends with me! Really? The Son of God? The Savior of the Universe? Wants to be friends with me? Incredible!

Before I go any further, I have to be honest and tell you that I don't have many friends. I have a huge group of people who I know and interact with but, to be honest, most of them would have to be categorized as acquaintances, not friends. Most of the relationships I have with these folks lack the degree of closeness or intimacy that is needed for the foundation of a true friendship. I have two or three people who I would not hesitate to call friends, but really, that's about it.

I began to wonder why it is that after half a century on this planet, I can count the number of close friends that I have on one hand. Sadly, my conclusion is this. I'm hard to get along with. Don't believe me? Ask my family. If they are being truthful, and speaking in love, they would have to agree with me. I am quick to anger, and way too quick to speak my mind. I tend to be judgmental and unforgiving once someone ticks me off. I could go on, but I find myself a little embarrassed here. Given all that I have just said, why would anyone want to be friends with me? Heck, I don't want to be friends with me. And why in the world would Jesus want to be friends with me?

Because he loves me, plain and simple. For that reason alone, his friendship is one I need to pursue and cultivate. Because I love him. This will be a daily pursuit for me, one I look forward to. Because I know that the closer and more intimate my friendship with Jesus becomes, the better friend I will become to those around me. That will be just one of the fruits of my friendship with Christ.

It will be like Red Bull For The Soul………………my friend.