What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Rather listen to this blog? Listen to “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
I’m an unusual Christian millennial. I would take classic hymns over contemporary praise music any day. Forgive me for my blunt honesty, but I find modern Christan bands to be…well, corny. There’s just something comforting and inspiring to me about cracking open a hymnal and humming along to a familiar tune.
I think regardless of your age, there’s always a warm feeling of nostalgia that comes with listening to something you grew up with. While there are probably hundreds of classic hymns we sing at my church on a rotating basis, I’d have to say there is a handful I’m more partial to. In the Garden, Trust and Obey, Onward Christian Soldiers, and What a Friend We Have in Jesus come to mind. The last in that list is the inspiration for this particular blog post.
When you close your eyes and picture an image of God…what comes to mind? He’s all-powerful and all-knowing and, let’s face it, that can be a little (ok, very) intimidating. We hear him called Our Father. Depending on your experience with fathers, that can be soothing or frightening as well. Alpha and Omega, I Am, Lord of Lords…the list goes on. However, most of these terms tend to put Him out of our reach.
One of the things I think many people struggle with is comprehending the fact we can have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I’m not going to rag on any particular sects of Christianity, but I’ve known some people who grew up thinking the only way they could talk to God was through someone ordained to do so for them. If you simply read the Bible, you’ll discover this is far from the truth (check out Revelation 3:20, John 1:12, John 14:23, and James 4:8 for a few examples).
In fact, Jesus says in John 15:14-15, “You are my friends if you do what I command. 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.” As Christians, we are Jesus’ friends!! The Lord of the universe and everything in it is our buddy. How cool is that?
When we trust people completely, we consider them a friend. We do not fear them or feel like we have to hide who we are when we are with them. Jesus desires us to come to Him without worry. The time we spend communing with Him in prayer and quiet time should not be clouded by worries of whether or not we are worthy. These thoughts create barriers between us and the blessings He wants to bestow on those who come to Him willingly. He died on the cross for every person who has been and ever will be; I promise you aren’t the worst He’s forgiven.
Think about your best friend. You weren’t always best friends; in fact, you had to start as strangers. Friendship is a journey and requires that both parties put forth effort in getting to know each other. The only difference here is God knew you before you were even a thought! I promise if you put in the time getting to know Him by reading your Bible, praying, and hanging out with other Christians on their respective journeys, you will slowly begin to relax when you are in His presence. You’ll find that in times of trouble or stress, verses start to pop into your head that help bring calm to the situation you’re in. It’s like a friend texting you reassuring words of wisdom, only better.
Maybe you don’t have a best friend. Maybe you’ve been burned by those you thought had your back but stabbed you there instead. First, I’d like to say I’m sorry you had to go through that. But here’s the thing: God is God…not a human. Yes, Jesus took human form while here on Earth, but that should be even more reassuring. He understands what it’s like to deal with heartbreak, disappointment, and fear. If you’ve never faced possible crucifixion, I can promise you whatever you’ve gone through pales in comparison to what He went through for you. That’s not to belittle your circumstances; it’s to reinforce the fact He knows what it means to hurt and that He took the fall for you as the ultimate best friend would.
This brings me to my favorite verse from What a Friend We Have in Jesus:
Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer
God is there to bring you peace. He’s the calm in the storm. The shoulder you can cry on at any time. Go to Him. He’s waiting.
Oh, and I lied. There are a couple of Christian bands I do enjoy, with Hawk Nelson being one of them. Here’s one that also touches on our friendship with God. Sure, it’s a little corny, but hey, it kinda jams. I suggest cranking the volume up for this one.
