“You are the sweetest friend,” a beloved friend lovingly wrote me after I sent her something incredibly small albeit warmly and affectionately meaningful.
But as kind as she was in her caring words to me, truth is I am not the sweetest friend. She isn’t the sweetest friend either. Neither are you. Neither is anyone. Not human anyway. The sweetest friend in the universe is sweet beloved dear and precious beautiful lovely kind caring compassionate merciful giving sacrificing tender gentle strong all powerful magnificent phenomenal endearing dear Jesus. Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Never must we forget above all else Jesus Christ is Lord. He is Savior. He is King. Master. He is Father; God is three in one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is Messiah. He is God. He is redeemer. Healer. And so very, very much more. Always we should remember this!
But some of us – like myself for so very long – remember this but miss this truth about Jesus by, for, and about which He is to be loved, honored, treasured, adored, revered, magnified, called, considered, experienced, and enjoyed. Jesus Christ to His faithful followers – is also friend!
Not mere acquaintance but friend. Not distant friend but close friend. Not friend when we feel like calling Him friend. Not friend unappreciated. Not just any old friend. But number one friend. He is to be our closest friend. Best friend. Sweetest friend. Ever. Forever and ever, Jesus the Christ, Lord, Savior, King, and sweetest, sweetest friend forevermore!
Loving and following Jesus is not merely about loving and worshiping and obeying Him as Lord. The Lord desires we have an intimate, personal, real, appreciated, valued, and treasured forever relationship with Him.
I propose to you this question. If you examine your heart, life, thoughts, feelings, choices, decisions, actions, how you spend your time, your prayers, your wishes, ways, and wants, your priorities and time when nobody else is around, whom you pour your heart out to and share your tears, trials, triumphs, and victories with, whom you talk to and listen to first and foremost, whom you turn to when in need, whom you give to of your heart and time as highest priority, and how you spend your time when others are around, whom you desire and strive most to please, whom means the very most to you, whom is your first love, etc. is it clearly evident that Jesus Christ is first and foremost your Lord – and also your forever very sweetest friend?
Oh, may it be so!
I am reminded of Moses’ desperate plea to God. Please if led read it in its full context. I simply share it with you because in it I see a man’s desperate desire to know intimately the presence of God almighty.
Should we not be desperately desirous for the presence and lordship and sweet friendship of the Lord?
“Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” Exodus 33:13-15 NKJV
A few more verses to encourage you!
May we be closest of all in our friendships to the sweetest friend. Sweet Jesus, AMEN!
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 NKJV
A WORD OF WARNING: Lest we get caught up in the excitement and emotionalism of having the Lord Jesus Christ as our sweetest friend, please note in this verse that follows Jesus making plain and clear His friends are those who live in obedience to Him! Let us do just that! Amen!
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” John 15:14 NKJV