Day 69 "What is a Friend?"

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”

Walter Winchel

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”

C.S. Lewis

“A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.”

Leo Buscaglia

As I think back over my lifetime, I am deeply indebted to all the people who have chosen to spend time with me, walk beside me, encourage me, think of me, remember me, laugh with me, cry with me, and to love me. Real friends are those people who are still around long after others may have left when the superficial attractiveness of fame, money, or fun has faded and all that remains is the real you: both the good and the bad. Life's experiences and the extraordinary views from the mountain tops to the valley floors would be hollow in there lasting impact and full of loneliness had it not been for the friends to share them with. They are the godsend of life in a barren desert.

Life is like a river navigating its way around many bends with many forks. We live our lives as if we are traveling down the river in rubber rafts, occasionally tying up to each other to share and journey together down a certain portion of the river, and then we disconnect from one another at the fork in the river to venture forth separately down different branches. When you think about it long enough, you come to the realization that we are the only ones traveling in our own raft- we are just lucky enough to have other people tie up to our raft for part of the journey. As you can see from this analogy that there are many times going down the river when we can find ourselves traveling alone.

I have experienced many moments of isolation and loneliness during my lifetime-especially in my younger days. Psychologists or psychiatrists would probably explain much it away to growing up in a dysfunction home situation with little guidance to navigate the difficult and challenging parts of the river of life ahead, and how to tie up with and disconnect successfully from others as one meets up with them going down the river. And so it was with great joy that one day I discovered a person, a friend, who would journey down this river of my life together with me-the entire rest of my journey! And not only that, he would travel with me in my raft! His name is Jesus. And I found him in particular in Chapter 15 of the book of John. I discovered that he was the vine, and I was a branch, and that if I stayed attached to him, I would find my source of nourishment and purpose. But apart from him, I could do nothing.

"I am the vine; you are the branches." John 15:5

"No branch can bear fruit by itself; in must remain in the vine." John 15:4

"If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love." John 15:9

If this discovery wasn't already enough, I found even more! I found that the creator of the whole universe, as speaking to me when he spoke to his disciples, calls me also his friend:

"but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe." Romans 1:2

"By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." Romans 11:3

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." John 15:12-14

"I no longer call your servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends," John 15:15

Imagine that, that the creator of the universe wants to have a personal relationship with each one of us! So, when we approach this time of year to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and commiserate the terrible death he endured upon the cross on our behalf, may it rest deeply and take root in your soul that Jesus didn't die so that you and I can act holy and righteous abiding by religious rules and regulations, he died so that we could have an intimate relationship with him. Christianity is not about a set of moral standards to adhere one's behavior to. It is all about a relationship. And Christ is not interested in just journeying along with us down the river, he wants to be our guide and for us to enjoy the journey through him. And what a ride it is!!!

********************************************************************************

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

You are never alone with the creator of the universe who is also your friend. In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)