Friends and Friendship

May you be inspired as you read these stories of friendship.

GOD IS AN EVER PRESENT FRIEND written by: Laura Marcin

While reading my daily calendar this morning, a thought came to me:
Why was it that when Jesus was about to be crucified, and he asked His disciples to stay with him when he prayed, did they fall asleep?
"Then He said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." (Matthew 26:38)
If we asked that of one of our closest friends, wouldn't we expect to find them waiting?
"Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. 'Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" He asked Peter." (Matthew 26:40)
How must He have felt at that time? In His hour of greatest need, even His closest friends were not there for Him.
"When He came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy." (Matthew 26:43)
Not once, not twice, but 3 times?
"Then He returned to the disciples and said to them "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners."(Matthew 26:45)
At the time He needed them most, His friends were not there for Him. But who was?
God, He was there, and He heard every word that Jesus spoke.
Sometimes in this hard old world we may think that no one is there for us in our hard times.
But Someone is. The One who sees all, knows all, and hears all.
Why did it happen to Jesus like that?
Perhaps so God could show us that only HE is faithful, in good times or bad.

GOD IS A FRIEND....."HE UNDERSTANDS"
Often you've wondered why tears come into your eyes
And burdens seems to be much more than you can stand
But God is standing near He sees your falling tears
Tears are a language, God understands
God sees the tears of a broken hearted soul
He sees your tears and hears when they fall
God weeps along with you and takes you my the hand
Tears are a language, God understands
When grief has left you low it causes tears to flow
Things have not turned out the way you have planned
But God won't forget you His promises are true
Tears are a language, God understands
God sees the tears of a broken hearted soul
He sees your tears and hears them when they fall
God weeps along with you and takes you by the hand
Tears are a language, God understands

--Author-Gordon Jensen, 1971 - Copyright by John T. Benson publishing co.

PROMISE KEEPERS: "STANDING IN THE GAP"
There were three men from California who intended to drive to the event.
As they left town, they passed a homeless man standing on a corner.
They pulled over and began talking to the man.
He told them he had left his family in Alabama 16 years ago and hadn't seen them since.
He was now homeless and destitute.
The men invited him to go to Washington with them.
He responded by saying he wasn't worthy of going to stand with so many other men to honor God.
The men challenged him by confessing that, although they hadn't physically abandoned their families as he had, they had failed in other ways.
They told him the main reasons for going: repentance and reconciliation.
This convinced the man to go.

As they were approaching the Capitol Mall, the three told the man that perhaps they could find a group from Alabama so he could talk with men from his state.
He was skeptical: With 1 million men in attendance, there would be little or no chance of finding anyone from Alabama.
The first group of men they met was from Alabama.
One of the Alabama men asked what town the homeless man was from.
The homeless man stated the town, and the man from Alabama said that there was a man in their group from that town.

When the other man from that town was introduced, he turned out to be the homeless man's son!
The two spent the day together in prayer and reconciliation, and the father ended up going back to Alabama with his son to be reconciled to the rest of the family.
- Anonymous

JESUS--OUR FRIEND
Written by Jack Zavada
"A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend.
His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have." -Dwight L. Moody
When Jesus came into the world in human form, he changed our relationship with God forever.
He made it possible for us to become adopted sons and daughters in God's family,
co-heirs with him to the gift of eternal life with the Father.
But he gave us another gift few of us ever open:
his friendship. He experienced firsthand the loneliness of being human,
and he saw that as much as we need a savior, we also need a friend.
"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.
Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."John 15:15 (NIV)
What better friend could you have?
Jesus is steadfastly loyal. He forgives your every fault.
He supports and encourages you when you need it most,
and He listens whenever you want to talk. He is a tireless listener.
Jesus loves you as a friend who wants to see you grow to your full potential.
There is no jealousy in him. He wants only the best for you.

Enter more deeply into friendship with Jesus.
You can trust him.
If you reach out and accept the friendship he offers, your life will never be the same.
--Author--Jack Zavada is the popular author of Single & Sure, a new ebook aimed at single Christians.
A cancer survivor, Jack is a contributing author for a number of online publications,
and shares his experiences as a single Christian on his website,Inspiration-For-Singles.com

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