What a friend - 1 September 2007

What a friend

It would seem that if there is one message that I had to get very clearly this week was a reminder of what a friend I have in Jesus.

On Tuesday the Dutch couple, Wouter and Tjitske Mout, came by with their children to say goodbye. The children sang 'What a friend we have in Jesus.'

The following day my neighbour's boy, Gert Jan Roos, visited me with his Belgian friend, Stijn Verstraeten. Gert Jan's last song on his flute was, you guessed it, 'What a friend we have in Jesus.' After that this young preacher held a brief devotion, reminding me how even in my circumstances my heavenly friend will see me through.

As I confirmed to the Mouts, indeed, Jesus is our best friend and He can be trusted at ALL times. I then added, "When everyone else is gone, He stays."

My experience in the last seven years has been that even with a loving wife and close friends, the path of illness can be very lonely. Loss of speech and complete paralysis add to the complications. Sometimes I wake up in the dead of the night with a whisper within, "No sound. No movement. I can't make a sound. I can't move." To get my direction I look to the Lord. Without fail, He is always there.

Yes friends, what a Friend!

"Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John 15:15)

Have a blessed weekend.
 
Pressing on!
 
In His love
 
Fano Sibisi