Jesus, Friend Forever

May 6, 2015

Jesus, Friend Forever

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

Romans 8:16

I have a yearning to hear the voice of Jesus. Interestingly, I know what I’ll hear, and I’m ready to hear it. I just need to carve out a time and place where I can sit quietly and listen for the voice of Jesus.

Lately, I have felt battered by the cacophony of voices vying for my attention. This morning I received news that my cousin in Florida had a heart attack and is facing cardiac surgery. I prayed for my cousin, but I also remember the fear and pain I experienced two years ago when I traveled this same road. I never will outgrow my need for quiet time with Jesus, my friend forever.

I know what his voice will say to me. I know he has been trying to be heard over the cacophony, but I’ve been too consumed with self to hear him.  But, as soon as I find my quiet place I’ll hear him say, “Alex, I am here. I have been calling you, but you haven't been listening.  Alex, friend forever, I love you. You are my beloved.”

I know what keeps me away from these quiet times with Jesus. The nature of my particular brokenness is rooted in shame-based self-hate. Shame isolates. We are never quite good enough to belong. Shame is the feeling associated with being an inadequate human being. I know that my brokenness is rooted in my flesh and I know the Apostle Paul calls me to crucify the flesh, but that is so much easier to say than to do. There is a reason for that. Jesus wants me to embrace and accept my brokenness, just as he does.

Jesus wants me to see that in my brokenness, my weakness, he is made strong.  It is when I embrace my brokenness that I can identify with others.  Jesus wants me to identify with the pain of others, not relieve it; he wants me to care for others, not try and fix them.

As I learn to rest in my brokenness, Jesus’ Word of Grace reminds me that neither my self-accusation, nor my self-disgust can separate me from him, my friend forever. My needs are fulfilled in faith because my painful feelings, my self-contempt and regret about my brokenness are not my true identify. I am what I am by the grace of God, not by my own humiliating definitions. I am fully known, yet totally justified by faith through grace. Nothing, neither my outward actions, nor my inner feelings can diminish the worth given to me in the grace of God. (Peter Steinke, I Hate Myself)

I need to hear these affirmations from Jesus, over and over again. This is the air I breathe, his holy presence living in me. This is my daily bread, his word spoken to me. And I'm desperate for him. And, I'm lost without Jesus, my friend forever. (Breathe, ©1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing, Words and Music by Marie Barnett)

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms is available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ is available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.