My Friend, Jesus

Written by:  Ben Clark

Jesus wasn't always my friend, because… I used to be "The World's" friend. But, even then, Jesus still loved me. HE still cared for me. Jesus never gave up on me. Even though I wasn't HIS friend, HE still wanted to be my friend. Jesus never forced me to be friends with HIM. Although HE didn't approve of what I did when I was friends with "The World", HE was always waiting for me to be friends with HIM.

Jesus never stopped waiting on me, and HE never gave up. There was no special reason why Jesus wanted to be my friend. I wasn't anything special. But Jesus wanted to be my friend because HE loved me. There was nothing I could do to earn His friendship. Jesus' friendship isn't earned, or bought with good deeds or money. To be His friend required me to do only one thing. He wanted me to turn completely away from "The World" and be HIS, and only HIS friend.

Yes, it did require a little time. Not because I delaying it, but because it took "The World" some time to realize that I wasn't its friend anymore…I was Jesus' friend. Now as soon as "The World" realized that I was Jesus' friend…it was very angry. Constantly, every day, it battled me and tried to get me to go back to my old self… to give up on Jesus, but I couldn't do that. At times, the battles would be so tough that I would almost feel like giving up. But that's when my friend, Jesus lifted me up. Even when I was feeling sad, discouraged and let down because I thought that my friend, Jesus' wasn't there to help me…HE was there wiping away my tears. Jesus understood everything that I was going through because HE had already experienced it.

So then I finally realized that, to be Jesus' friend, I would constantly battle "The World" each day, but Jesus would ALWAYS be there for me. Jesus was there for me in the good times and in the bad. HE was there, even when I had my back towards Him. When I finally turned around and looked at Jesus. I was never the same again. I wasn't the same person. One look at Jesus and it will change your life forever. But to turn around and look at Jesus, it meant that I had to turn my back on "The world". You can only look at one or the other. So never lose focus on Jesus. Because HE hasn't lost His focus on you yet…

This is my Friend, Jesus and HE can be your friend too.