The One Friend Who Won't Delete You

It's always encouraging to me when other bloggers write things that have been on my heart. Not long ago, Diane Bucknell emailed me with some thoughts that I knew would make a great blog post. She graciously agreed to let me post them today. You may remember that in November 2012 Diane wrote a simply wonderful post about anxiety. Welcome, Diane!

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One of my favorite I Love Lucy episodes was the one where Ricky and Lucy’s friends planned a surprise birthday party for her and pretended to forget. Lucy felt so crushed and rejected that she  joined  a band of outcasts called  “The Friends of the Friendless”.  To the beat of a drum, they marched into Ricky’s Tropicana Club singing their theme song only to be greeted by a cheering crowd of friends and a giant birthday cake. Things that make us laugh often have a  painful tinge of truth to them that we can all relate to. 

 

 I doubt there’s ever been a time in history when people could be so easily rejected by friends as they can now through social media. With a click we can  delete or be deleted by people who once were our “friends” – whether they were actual friends to begin with or not.  The ease with which we can eliminate people who offend us is disturbing.

 

Social media aside, there’s nothing new under the sun, and we know the problem of being kicked to the curb has been going on since the beginning. Abel was betrayed and slain by his own brother out of jealousy. And David bemoaned, “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” (Psalm 41:9)

 

Losing friends just seems to be a part of this fallen world and if you’re like me, there are times  it can make you feel alone, even though in reality we are surrounded by people who care for us. Maybe  it’s not such a bad thing to feel this way once in awhile because it causes us to flee to our one Friend who is always true, always available, and always willing to help us.

   

How easy it can be to neglect finding our complete satisfaction in the Savior when our life is happily  engaged with people who love and appreciate us. I think even marriage can present temptation this way when our emotional dependence on our spouse eclipses our complete dependence on Christ.      How often do we look to a spouse, children, friends, or even our spiritual leaders for that which can only be found in the Friend of sinners?

 

It is in  Christ alone  that  our deepest  longing  for love and acceptance can be found.

• He laid down His life for us:  John 10:15    
• He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows : Isaiah 53:4
• He has called us his friend:  John 15:15
• His love is unconditional:  Ephesians 2:8-9
• He promises to forgive and cleanse us of every sin:  I John 1:9
• He even  promises to forget them!  Hebrews 8:12
• His love for us  is never ending:   Jeremiah 31:3
• He completely empathizes with all of our weaknesses:  Hebrews 4:15
• He wants us to cast all our worries and cares on Him: I Peter 5:7
• He promises   His  grace will be sufficient  in our weakness:   2 Corinthians 12:9
• He promises to give us wisdom when we ask:  James 1:5 
• He is faithful to us and His mercy  is new every morning:   Lamentations 3:23 
• He never ceases to pray for us.  Hebrews 7:25
• He knows everything about us, including our thoughts before we think them:  Psalm 139 
• He has promised to use every trial we go through for our good:  Romans 8:28
• He is preparing a heavenly home and has promised to return for us:  John 14:3

What a friend we have in Jesus!

“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” Hebrews  13:5

Diane lives in Northern Nevada with her husband Robert and an adopted stray cat named Spurgeon. Diane and Robert have been married for 41 years and have a son, two daughters and seven grandchildren.  They attended Moody Bible Institute, and Robert has served in three senior pastorates. He is an artist by trade, and when Diane is not reading, blogging, or baking cookies for the grandkids, she attempts to manage their business, Bucknell Arts.