Friend Jesus

Thursday, December 30, 2010 (7:51 a.m.)

Lake Arrowhead Chalets #120

Lake Arrowhead, CA

Blessed Lord,

I keep humming ♫You’ve Got A Friend in Me♫ and wondering if I should be trying to change my focus over to ♫What a Friend We Have In Jesus♫ Tell me Lord, do You want to talk with me this morning about being my Friend?

I’m feeling especially lost and sad right now. The sun is shining, the snow is melting and we’ve received news of the death of a dearly loved, fine, good 91 year-old gentleman. I guess sad might be an appropriate emotion after all.

(8:59 a.m.)

Stick with me, Lord. Stay with me here. I truly don’t know why I am being so stubborn. I’ve known all morning long that I need to begin our time together with a heartfelt ‘thank You’ and I wouldn’t do it because I just didn’t feel especially thankful. How selfish is that Lord?

You ARE my Friend! That in and of itself is more than enough to be truly thankful about.

Forgive me for caving in to all the negativity my mind keeps recalling. There is fear and sadness swimming around in there. But there is also faith and joy. I start to smile and then suck right back inside myself. I know this wave will pass. I can choose to dive under it, push past it, or even ride it in to shore. There are always choices. I have to decide which is best.

So I will thank You, Lord. Thank You for being my Friend! You are a precious gift. A gift I do not want to take for granted. You are big enough and strong enough and willing to hold all my burdens (Matthew 11:28-30).

You are the calm in our every storm (Matthew 8:23-27). You are all that we are not. And I AM thankful! Thankful to know You. Thankful to trust You. Thankful to turn to You and call You my Friend. Thank You Jesus. Thank You for loving me without conditions or limits. Thank You for forgiving me every single time I ask. ♫Thank You for being a Friend♫ A Friend. My Friend. THE Friend. Dear Friend. Good Friend. Friend Jesus. Yes. Thank You Friend Jesus.

Mm. And here it all finally comes together. The origin of the word: from Old English, German, Dutch and an Indo-European root meaning ‘to love’, shared by FREE. Hmm. Free to love Jesus. Mm. Yes! Thank You Jesus, my Friend who I am free to love. Thank You Lord. I DO love You. Teach me to do it well. Thank You. Amen.

(438 words ~ 10:01 a.m.)