He calls me friend

All things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you… that you should go and bear fruit. — John 15:15-16

Someone has defined friendship as “knowing the heart of another and sharing one’s heart with another.” We share our hearts with those we trust, and trust those who care about us. We confide in our friends because we have confidence that they will use the information to help us, not harm us. They in turn confide in us for the same reason.

We often refer to Jesus as our friend because we know that He wants what is best for us. We confide in Him because we trust Him. But have you ever considered that Jesus confides in His people?

Jesus began calling His disciples friends rather than servants because He had entrusted them with everything He had heard from His Father (John 15:15). Jesus trusted the disciples to use the information for the good of His Father’s kingdom.

Although we know that Jesus is our friend, can we say that we are His friends? Do we listen to Him? Or do we only want Him to listen to us? Do we want to know what’s on His heart? Or do we only want to tell Him what’s on ours? To be a friend of Jesus, we need to listen to what He wants us to know and then use the information to bring others into friendship with Him.

— Julie Ackerman Link

Sweet thought! We have a Friend above,

Our weary, faltering steps to guide,

Who follows with His eye of love

The precious child for whom He died.

— Anon.

Read: John 15:9-17

Christ’s friendship

calls for our faithfulness.

The Bible in one year:

• Job 30-31; Acts 13:26-52