OUR COMPASSIONATE AND LOVING FRIEND

“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15 KJV

Evangelist Isham Emmanuel Reynolds wrote a beautiful hymn about Jesus, our compassionate and loving Friend “Jesus Is The Friend You Need”.  I love these words.  “Jesus is the Friend you need, Such a Friend is He indeed; He Who noteth ev’ry tear, He will banish ev’ry fear, Jesus is the Friend you need.”

I have many wonderful friends but none of them can do what Jesus does for me.  My friends have to go home but Jesus stays with me.  I gave my heart to Jesus on August 14, 1980 and He has never left me, not even for one minute.  I have lost count of the many times He has encouraged and comforted me.

Yes, Jesus is our Friend and He has proved to us how much He loves us.  What about us?  Are we His friend?  Jesus has told us how to be His friend.  “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14).  Are we doing what He has commanded us to do to?  Are we making Him happy?

Jesus has commanded us to love one another unconditionally.  Loving one another unconditionally is not an option, it is a commandment “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34).  Do we love others unconditionally?

Joanne Lowe

March 14, 2017