The ‘forever’ Friend!

By Helen Jesze, 10^th April 2021

‘There are “friends” who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother,’

Proverbs 18:24 TLB

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. 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,”

John 13:13-15 ESV

This morning I woke up with the words of the beautiful old hymn by Charles W. Fry, who lived in the 1800’s, ringing in my spirit. What a blessing it has been through the years to have many wonderful friends, and especially for those who are faithful in good and bad times, even sometimes seeing our ‘warts and all’, but still being constant.

Yet far more wonderful than these are, and for whom we are so grateful, is the one special ‘forever Friend’ who gave his life for us, taking us from servanthood to sonship and a close relationship with himself. Today I just want to lift up this wonderful Friend, and Charles Fry’s hymn reminds us of so many of his attributes and what he has done for us.

If you do not know this ‘forever Friend’ I would encourage you today to open your heart to him, and let him come in, change your life and show his marvellous love to you, too!

I have found a friend in Jesus–He’s ev’rything to me,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
The Lily of the Valley– in Him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay,
He tells me ev’ry care on Him to roll;
He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

He all my grief has taken and all my sorrows borne,
In temptation He’s my strong and mighty tow’r;
I have all for Him forsaken and all my idols torn
From my heart, and now He keeps me by His pow’r.
Though all the world forsake me and Satan tempt me sore,
Through Jesus I shall safely reach the goal;
He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

He will never, never leave me nor yet forsake me here,
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
A wall of fire about me, I’ve nothing now to fear–
With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
Then sweeping up to glory I’ll see His blessed face,
Where rivers of delight shall ever roll;
He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

Charles W. Fry

Prayer: Thank you, wonderful Lord Jesus, for your eternal Friendship! You walk with us and you talk with us, you tell us we are your own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known! Amen.