Blessed by God with Friends, Blessed by our Greatest Friend - Jesus

Kathy and I took a planned break last week. After a busy morning on Thursday, May 16, we drove 4 1/2 hours from Gainesville, FL, to Destin. You see, this past January we had learned that the Maid of Honor at our wedding, Marlene Sieben, would be visiting our area with her husband, David, from their home in Illinois. Marlene had been Kathy’s first year roommate at Lutheran School of Nursing in St. Louis, and they keep in touch. So, we booked a hotel room, drove to Destin, and met them for dinner at a restaurant on the beach Thursday night. It has been many years, decades, since the four of us had gotten together. Yet, we just picked up where we had left off. Since it had been a long time, we had a lot to share. In addition to being friends, we share the connection of Christian faith. We sat at the table in the restaurant for quite a while even after we finished eating. Then we walked on the beach and talked some more. Kathy and I have been blessed by the Lord in MANY ways. But, among our most cherished blessings are our friends.

The next day we visited with a younger set of friends. JC Forrester was a classmate of our daughter, Mary, throughout school in Palmer, AK. They were confirmed together with 18 other friends in 2002 at St John Lutheran Church in Palmer. They graduated together from Palmer High School in 2006. Mary attended college in Valparaiso, Indiana, after high school. JC went to the Air Force Academy in Ft. Collins, CO, and continues to serve our country. In fact, JC is now MAJOR Forrester! I also had the privilege of performing the wedding of JC and his wife, Rachel, in Albuqueque, NM, in 2016. So JC and Rachel have been part of our lives for a long time. We all met for lunch on Friday, May 17. Again Kathy and I sat and visited, enjoying the company and news from JC and Rachel. We could have continued, but JC had to return to work. Kathy and I have been blessed by the Lord in MANY ways. But, among our most cherished blessings are our friends!

God’s word is full of teaching about friends and friendship. For example, God inspirited Solomon to write in Proverbs 17:17, “17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” In addition, Proverbs 27 teaches, “9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. 10 Do not forsake your friend and your father's friend . . .” (Proverbs 27:9-10) God teaches that friends are a blessing, especially in times of trouble. Friends are a blessing to be cherished.

Our Lord Jesus also teaches us the amazingly good news that He counts us as His friends. “13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:13-15) In our time of need and trouble, Jesus, our friend, lays down His life for us! That is a true friend!

Jesus also speaks in perhaps a surprising way about His friends when He quotes an accusation by the Jewish religious leaders concerning Himself. “34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'’ (Luke 7:34) The religious leaders saw that Jesus was also friendly toward the ‘undesirable’ people of His time.

The old hymn is right. “What a Friend we have in Jesus!” And our other Christian friends are also blessings to be cherished. We want to care for our friends, and nurture our friendships.

Last week Kathy and I had the joy of spending time with some long-time friends, people with whom we share many life experiences, and with whom we share the blessing of Jesus’ saving love. In a world that is falling apart, our Lord blesses us with people with whom we can share both the joys and the trials of life. God gives us friends!

Who do you count as the friends with which our Lord has blessed you?