Another chance ∙

Another chance ∙

I, yes, I alone, will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. – Isaiah 43:25 

Micah 7:18-20

 18 Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love.

 19 Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!

 20 You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago.

Second Chance Bikes refurbishes, repairs, and donates used bicycles to needy kids and adults, including the homeless, the disabled, and military veterans.  Ernie Clark is a retired New Jersey police officer who founded Second Chance Bikes in 2006. Hundreds of impounded and donated bikes are sent to Ernie Clark and his team of volunteers to restore and donate each year. Second Chance Bikes has provided over 4500 bicycles to others since it began its nonprofit work.  

Every bike deserves a second chance. Not only do the bicycles get a second chance, but many of their recipients as well.

“If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down but the staying down” (Mary Pickford).

When the Father gives second chances, they can transform people’s lives. In the eighth century BC, times were very dark. Conditions were very similar to the second decade of the 21st century. The nation of Israel was mired in personal, social, governmental, and religious sins of all types. Under the circumstances, we might expect that the Father, who is holy, righteous, and just, would be harsh and judgmental. Instead, the Father chose love and forgiveness. He offered the people another chance.

The Father called the prophet Micah to serve Him. Micah was sent to the people to offer grace, loving-kindness, and mercy. Micah cried out and lamented, “The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth” (Micah 7:2).

Frankly, Micah was astonished by the Father’s loyal love. Micah was humbled and awestruck by such remarkable compassion and gentleness. Rhetorically he queried, “Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people?” (Micah 7:18).

Why is this important? The Father who was willing to offer forgiveness 3700 years ago to rebellious, defiant, and sinful people is the same today as He was then. He makes the identical offer to us. The Father will never abandon us even as He did not abandon them. The Old Testament prophets continually were sent to the Father’s wayward and rebellious people. The prophets identified the people’s sinful behavior and called them to repentance.

Micah 7:19 Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!

The bottom line is quite simple; the Father is loving, forgiving, and full of grace and acceptance. He always offers another chance when we repent and seek Him, despite what we do.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.

Sadly, sin and consequent repentance are not one-off events, but they reoccur throughout our lifetimes. The more we sin, the more discouraged we become. But the Father never changes. He is always gracious, faithful, and reaches out to us.

REFLECT & PRAY

“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat” (F. Scott Fitzgerald).

Father when I reflect and consider the rebellion and all of the sins I have flippantly repeated before You, I realize that only a gracious, kind, and forgiving God could offer another chance. And so You do! Thank You.

INSIGHT

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending” (Carl Bard).

“Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave” (Mary Tyler Moore).

Micah 7:18 There is no other God like you! You forgive sin and pardon the rebellion of those who remain among your people. You do not remain angry forever but delight in showing loyal love.

What is the heart of the Father truly like? He delights in showing loyal love, grace, mercy, kindness, and gentleness. He genuinely loves people. Because of His great love, He sent His son to die for the sins of the world. His mercy is not deserved or earned. Judgment and death are the natural consequences of our actions. The Father has no obligation to forgive our sins or pardon our iniquity. Who besides our Father in heaven is like that? He doesn’t just forgive; He loves to forgive.

In Micah 7:18, The prophet asks the rhetorical question, “Who is a God like you?”

To such a question, the intended reply is “No one.” The Father’s matchless nature is affirmed. The Father is incomparable in forgiving, loving, and sharing grace, Any effort to compare the Father’s generous grace to puny human grace utterly fails. No one is like Him pardoning and forgiving. It is contrary to human nature.

Exodus 34:6-7

 6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, “LORD! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

 7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.

The answer is spelled out again and again in the book of Micah. The Father alone has hesed, loyal love, lovingkindness, unflappable grace. The Old Testament book of Micah opens with the anger of God and closes with the grace of God. Micah begins with God treading on the earth and melting mountains and ends with God treading our sins underfoot and melting human evil. Micah starts by wondering what God is like and concludes by affirming that nobody is like him (Shank).

Our heavenly Father is the only God who works on behalf of His people. All other gods demand that people work for them. Regrettably, people project onto him their own traumatic life experiences and expectations. Many envision Him as a brutal, mean, and cruel ogre who seeks to uncover and punish every violation and imperfection.

Nothing could be further from the truth! The Father is loving, caring, and welcoming! All wayward children of the King are sought after and beckoned to return. He warmly welcomes any who come. The Father longs for those in need to experience the warm embrace of His outstretched arms (Matthew 11:28-30).

The Father is not merely willing but eager to forgive any sin. 

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© Dr. H 2022

Caring enough to confront

Caring enough to confront

Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. – Proverbs 27:6

Proverbs 27:4-9

 4 Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.

 5 An open rebuke is better than hidden love!

 6 Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.

 9 The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

Dr. David Augsburger’s Caring Enough to Confront unfolds the art of peacemaking. It covers significant issues such as dealing with blame and prejudice, building trust, and handling anger and frustration. He recognizes that conflict is simply a part of human interaction.

Trying to avoid or gloss over contentious issues provides no healing and allows things to fester and grow out of proportion. Bringing matters into the open is essential. No one can control how people respond to us, but we can control how we respond to them.

Dr. Augsburger “challenges readers to keep in mind that the important issue is not what the conflict is about, but instead how the conflict is handled.” He lays out how children of the King can confront with compassion and resolve issues in a healthy and healing way. The goal is a Win-Win outcome. Deeper, loving care and relationships are often the result.

Paul wrote the Corinthians a stern letter and had mixed feelings. He did what was right and necessary. But it was undoubtedly a bit painful for him because he sincerely loved them. But he cared enough to confront and demonstrate his love. The result was beautiful. The Corinthians repented and made things right.

2 Corinthians 7:8-9

 8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while.

 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so we did not harm you in any way.

Paul was very concerned about the immoral behavior that was occurring in Corinth. The time had come for a harsh word of rebuke. “The last thing Paul wished was to rebuke. He did it only because he felt compelled to do so and took no pleasure whatever in inflicting pain. . .. Paul’s sole object in giving rebuke was to enable people to be what they ought to be. By his rebuke, he wished the Corinthians to see just how serious he was in his concern for them, in spite of their disobedience and their troublemaking.”

“Such a course might, for the moment, cause pain, but its ultimate purpose was not the pain; it was not to knock them down, but to lift them up; it was not to discourage them, but to encourage them; it was not simply to eradicate the evil, but to make the good grow” (Barclay).

REFLECT & PRAY

Jonah had severely misplaced priorities. He cared more about plants than people. The Father cares more about people regardless of their sins or failures. The Lord Jesus Christ died for people, not plants or animals.

Father encourage me to care enough to confront others with love and encourage them to do what is right.

INSIGHT

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Henry Blackaby remarks, “It is possible to be too gentle with your friends. When a friend is under deep conviction by the Holy Spirit, do you try to give comfort? Don’t ever try to ease the discomfort of someone whom the Holy Spirit is making uncomfortable . . .! You are not acting in true friendship if you condone disobedience or even if you look the other way. Kisses are far more pleasant than wounds, yet they can be even more devastating if they lull your friend into being comfortable with sin.

In our attempt to appease our friends and our reluctance to share a word from God, we can actually cause great harm. If we see our friends in danger and do not warn them . . .. Are you a friend of such integrity that you would risk wounding your friends in order to deter them from their sin?” (Experiencing God Day-by-Day, May 12).

The Greek word translated as downcast, depressed, discouraged, or downhearted is tapeinos. This word could be translatedas lowly or low in spirit and typically refers to the humble demeanor of people (Luke 14:11; James 4:10).

Paul had been hammered by various external troubles as well as internal distress. “The term has been rendered ‘low in spirit’ (NAB); ‘distressed’ (NJB); ‘depressed’ (Phillips); ‘dejected’ (Moffatt)” (UBS).

Here Paul describes his emotional state of sadness, even depression, due to his concerns for the Corinthians.

“At any time, the Father may bring dissonance into our lives. When it happens, it is not pleasant. But the Father is following an eternal blueprint worked out before He established the foundations of the Earth. We do not know all the factors as to why He does this; however, there is one thing that we do know, ‘the Father is too good to do wrong and He is too wise to make a mistake’” (Richison).

On the other hand, due to our fallen DNA, we are all too capable of making one mistake after another. But thank God. He has given us the ability to make choices. The goal is to make better and better choices as we grow wiser and closer to the Father.

Deuteronomy 30:19 Today, I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life so that you and your descendants might live!

When our lives are out of harmony with the Father, we are out of tune. Our lives are in discord. We do not have music but noise in our souls. When we return to the Father and walk with Him, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs flood our hearts (Ephesians 5:19) (Richison).

In His dealings with us, He desires that the emotional struggles we experience be but temporary. We should purpose to glean the lessons He is teaching us, and experience His gentle and delightful comfort and encouragement.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.

 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.

Jonah provides an Old Testament example for children of the King to consider and learn from. He was called to be a prophet and submit to the Father. But he utterly refused. He made a poor choice, an abysmal choice, and tried to run away as far as possible. We all know the story. The Father located him and used a biological submarine transportation system, a.k.a. the great fish or whale. Jonah repented and became compliant and obedient. But he was still given to anger and depression. He was so downcast he wanted to die.

Jonah 4:1-3

 1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.

 2 So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.

 3 Just kill me now, LORD! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

The Father’s confrontation with swift and direct. He had only one question.

Jonah 4:4 The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

The Father asks the same question of every child of the King. Is it right to be angry?

“A Jonah lurks in every Christian heart, whispering his insidious message of smug prejudice, empty traditionalism, and exclusive solidarity. And we grasp the message of the book only when we eliminate the Jonah within us” (Leslie Allen).

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your lives.

Haggai 2:19 Yet from this day on, I will bless you.

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© Dr. H 2022

Sin sharks ∙

Sin sharks ∙

But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the LORD, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. – Numbers 32:23

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Job 34:21 For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do.

There is a common shark stereotype that sharks have almost a supernatural ability to sniff out even the smallest drop of blood and find their “prey” from many miles away. This stereotype is fostered and promoted by “shark attack” movies.

Indeed, sharks have a strong sense of smell. They can detect small amounts of chemicals (including blood) in the water. They often rely on their sense of smell to hunt and find prey. But their sensitivity does not stretch over vast distances. Some sharks can detect smells at about one part per 10 billion. One part per 10 billion is roughly equivalent to one drop of blood in a backyard swimming pool.

Oceans are far larger than swimming pools. There is little chance that a shark could smell a drop of blood in an ocean from a mile away.

However, when sharks detect a smell, they “are extremely good at picking up on the smallest molecules to direct them to prey sources,” says Mike Price, Curator at Sea World San Diego.

On land and in the ocean, molecules that produce smells disperse over long distances and become diluted. Sharks need only one or two molecules of potential prey to be able to locate their source. In particular, when they encounter blood molecules in the water, they have an extraordinary ability to find the origin of the blood.

There is also a great deal of misunderstanding regarding Numbers 32:23.

Numbers 32:23 Your sin will find you out.

It is often interpreted to mean that you cannot get away with sin. Instead, your sin will be found out and exposed. Secrets thought hidden will be uncovered and revealed. Consider the story of Moses when he “secretly” killed the Egyptian (Exodus 2:14). It soon became public knowledge. Or David’s “private” sin with Bathsheba and his effort to cover it up (2 Samuel 11:1-17). It was front-page news in heaven and soon made the headlines of the Jerusalem Post, circa 3000 BC. And so it remains until this day.

While our dirty laundry is often dug up and disclosed, it is not always the case in this life “There are a great many sinners who get by with their sins and are never found out by anyone else” (McGee).

The phrase “Be sure your sin will find you out” is often used in evangelistic appeals, and it can have that application (Wiersbe). Upon closer inspection, “That is not what it says at all” (McGee).

If that interpretation is incorrect, what does it mean?

The original intent was to admonish the Father’s people to keep their commitments (Wiersbe). When a promise is not kept, it is a sin before the Father. To ferret out its primary meaning, it is necessary to examine the context.

In this passage, the wording is striking. Sin is personified. It is as though it becomes a sentient being on a mission. Your sin will find you out. When someone sins, the sin itself becomes like a private investigator. It seeks to find out “who done it.”

And ironically, sin is also the prey that is sought out. Our personal sin shark detects our blood (sin) in the water. It will track us down and find us out. In other words, an act of sin becomes like a shark on the hunt.

“Sin is a tireless pursuer when it comes to seek it’s just payment: like a shark that smells blood, it will never leave a wounded swimmer alone. It comes on relentlessly, seeking its wages . . .” (Duguid and Hughes).

Our sin has destructive outcomes. It becomes our own worst enemy. It is as though sin itself emits an aroma. And at the same time, sin becomes a determined hunter. It detects its own scent, and it will ruthlessly pursue the sinner responsible.

REFLECT & PRAY

Sin has unavoidable and unintended collateral damage. It is best to stay out of those sin shark-infested waters.

Father thank You are the God who sees me (Genesis 16:13). You that You know everything all the time. We cannot hide from You, nor should we wish to.

INSIGHT

What is the context and meaning of the passage? It has to do with following through on commitments and keeping promises. All the tribes of Israel were responsible for being involved in conquering the promised land. Two tribes of Israel, Reuben and Gad, proposed a slight modification to the plan.

“The tribes of Reuben and Gad were herdsmen and requested permission to settle east of the Jordan where the land was especially suited to pasturing flocks and herds” (Wiersbe). They wanted approval to build pens for their livestock and fortified towns for their wives and children on the east side of the Jordan. They would then lead the rest of the 12 tribes in the battle. After the conquest, they would return and live on the land they selected (Numbers 32:16-19).

Moses accepted their proposal but sternly admonished them to keep their promises. If they failed to do so, it was a sin. But their sin is not just between them, the rest of the 12 tribes, and Moses. It would be a sin against the Father Himself.

Numbers 32:23 But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

The Father misses nothing. He sees everything all the time. When we commit Him, He knows if we are keeping it.

Hebrews 4:13 Nothing is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

“There will come that time when the chickens come home to roost. ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap’ (Galatians 6:7). I don’t care who you are, or where you are, how you are, or when you are, your sins will find you out. In the way that you sin, that is the way it is going to come home to you some time. That is the meaning of this statement, ‘Be sure your sin will find you out’” (McGee).

Of course, the Father’s awareness and omniscience are like a sword that cuts both ways.

2 Chronicles 16:9 The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.

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© Dr. H 2022

                                      

The extra thing ∙

The extra thing ∙

He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. – Luke 6:31

Luke 6:31-36

 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

 32 If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!

 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!

 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

 35 Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.

 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

Comparing ourselves to others seems to be part of our human DNA. It makes a lot of sense. It helps us determine if we are fitting in, doing well, and finding out where we stand in the pecking order. Comparing ourselves with others may often boost our self-esteem, but it is not always in our best interest.

The Father’s standard for children of the King is not being just as good as everyone else or even a little bit better. The Father’s standard for His family is to be much better than ordinary in our actions, thoughts, and moral values. The Father’s ethical and moral code involves “the extra thing” (Stanley).

The Lord Jesus Christ “described the common ways of sensible conduct and then dismissed them with the question, ‘What special grace is in that?’ [Or, more colloquially, ‘why should you get credit for that?’] So often, people claim to be just as good as their neighbors. Very likely they are. But the question of Jesus is, ‘How much better are you than the ordinary person?’” (Barclay)

What is the standard by which our conduct is to be judged? “It is not our neighbors with whom we must compare ourselves; we may well stand that comparison very adequately; it is God with whom we must compare ourselves, and in that comparison, we are all in default” (Barclay).

The question each of us must ask ourselves is challenging. How do I measure up to the Father and what He is truly like? There is never really any contest when He is our standard is there? The Father is always perfect in all His ways, thoughts, emotions, and actions. We, on the other hand, not so much.

Why is the standard so high for the children of the King? The Father dreams that each child of the King aspires to grow to spiritual maturity and become like Him wherever possible. We are to take on His character and communicable attributes: love, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and mercy, to name a few.

We are to love our enemies and seek their highest good. That is precisely what the Father did for us.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The golden rule goes far beyond reciprocity. Even sinful, wicked, “normal” people practice reciprocity to some degree or another.

REFLECT & PRAY

We are most like the Father when we act like the Father. We should reflect the profound inner transformation constantly underway within our minds and spirits.

Father thank You that You are kind and merciful. You chose not to give me what I deserve. But instead, You showered me with grace and provided me with things I could never have earned or obtained by my own effort.

INSIGHT

The kind of love that the Father requires of children of the King is selfless love. We are to love those that hate us, scorn us, despise us, use us, and seek to do us harm. Many of us were like that towards the Father before we met Him and were adopted into His Forever Family. Many of us hated the very thought of God and wanted to stay as far away from Him as possible.

Mercy is not simply feeling pity; it means acting with compassion. Instead of just sympathizing with us, the Father did something about our desperate condition. He sent His Son to save us from sin and its horrendous consequences. We are to demonstrate the Father’s kindness to others despite their treatment of us (Barclay).

How is it possible for us to even imagine trying to live like this? The Scriptures do not teach that living out our faith is hard. Rather, it is impossible without supernatural enablement. Without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit within, we are simply unable to achieve the extra thing.

Being merciful to those who do not deserve it is contrary to our natural inclinations. Our fallen DNA screams out against it. It is possible only through the power of God’s Spirit within us. What we naturally want is justice. To extend mercy seems to say the offense against us was not very bad – but this is a misunderstanding of the word mercy. Because where no wrong has been committed, there is no need for mercy.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

The essence of mercy is not merely refraining from giving people what they have coming to them. Instead, it is, doing good to or for them.

When you are merciful, you give others what the Father has given to you. And aren’t you glad that He does not immediately deal out retribution for every sin you commit? So remember, the Father wants you to trust Him with all your hurts. And He also wants you to treat others (even your enemies) as you want to be treated – with mercy (Stanley).

Charles Stanley, whom I greatly admire, has often said, “Look your best, do your best, be your best” (Stanley). That is very hard. But in light of Luke 6:31-36, what the Father is asking is even more challenging. “Look His best, do His best, be His best.”

Luke 6:36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

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© Dr. H 2022

Best friends forever ∙

Best friends forever ∙

I no longer call you slaves because a master does not confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. – John 15:15

1 Peter 1:8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

Friends was an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004. During its ten seasons, it depicted the lives of six twentysomething friends: three men and three women, living in the heart of New York City.

Over the course of ten years, this somewhat typical bunch of buds worked through family trouble, past and future romances, difficulties, humor, sadness, and situations that demonstrated what it means to be a true friend. It addressed everyday human experiences: falling in love, breaking up, jobhunting, dealing with parents, marriage, and becoming parents. It was a classic sitcom and became one of the most popular TV shows of all time.

It had a tremendous impact on US and international culture. It is a conflictless “hangout sitcom” that revolves around the idea of the importance of good friends. According to a pop-culture expert at the University at Buffalo, Friends is “one of those rare shows that marked a change in American culture.” It presents a lifestyle that revolves around friends creating and sustaining relationships and seeking help from each other. 

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you” (Elbert Hubbard)

“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing… not healing, not curing… that is a friend who cares” (Henri Nouwen).

“There is nothing better than a friend unless it is a friend with chocolate” (Anonymous).

Good friends are hard to find. Even more so in a fragmented, hectic, independent, somewhat isolated social media culture. Being “friended” or “unfriended” on social media is not the same thing as true friendship.

REFLECT & PRAY

“The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity” (Ulysses S. Grant).

Father I can hardly believe that You and Your Son are my Best Friends Forever!

INSIGHT

Each child of the King has been “friended” by the Lord Jesus Christ. And that friendship will last throughout all eternity.

John 15:15 I no longer call you slaves because a master does not confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

The Lord Jesus Christ has declared that His disciples are not mindless robots or coerced slaves. Instead, they are His unique and special friends. If we are His friends, then He is our friend! What an extraordinary idea. Friendship with the eternal Son of God.

You are my friends implies a stunning level of comfortable personal interaction with one who is also the eternal, omnipotent Creator of the universe. In the OT, only Abraham (Isaiah 41:8) and, by implication Moses (Exodus 33:11) are called “friends of God.”

Here Jesus extends this privilege to all obedient believers (ESV).

It is hard to take this in and believe that it is even remotely possible to be close to a holy and righteous God and be best friends with Him. But such we are. And what a unique and marvelous friendship it is.

As a friend, the Lord Jesus Christ prioritized His time to be with His friends. He lived closely with His disciples for three years and proved to be not only their Lord and Savior but also the best friend they had ever had. In a fashion similar to the Friends TV series, they went through family trouble, all manner of difficulties, successes and failures, times of joy and pleasure, and extreme sadness and loss.

The Lord Jesus Christ demonstrates and embodies what it means to be a true BFF (best friend forever).

Speaking to “doubting” Thomas, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:29).

1 Peter 1:8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.

“Unlike the disciples, we have never physically walked with Jesus, but this does not exclude us from His friendship” (Stanley).

The eternal and unalterable reality is that each child of the King who has trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord becomes His friend.

Apart from these remarkable words of the Lord Jesus Christ, how can we be even more confident in His friendship?

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

The reality of our best friend forever status with the Lord Jesus Christ is confirmed for all time because He laid down His life for us.

The Lord Jesus Christ shows us how to be friends, true friends. It is all about caring, giving, self-sacrifice, and following His example. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us to love one another as He has loved us. We should concern ourselves with what is best for others and be willing to put them first. The standard that He set for us is incredibly high and humanly impossible to achieve in our strength alone. For some of us, it may even sound ridiculous.

Philippians 2:5-8 

 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.

 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,

 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

How can we possibly do this?

The Father is at work. He is at work all the time. And He invites us to participate in what He is doing. When we do so, He enables us to do what He desires for us to do.

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

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© Dr. H 2022

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