"A Friend Loves at All Times..."

"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17

Yes, a friend DOES love at all times...even after a lifetime of friendship! Today I was blessed to spend a little time with a few of my childhood girlfriends...girls that, for the most part, I have known since we attended school together in the first grade all the way through graduation twelve years later.  Some new friends came along during that time, and some others moved away, but even so, we are still friends, having known each other almost sixty years! (I can't believe that can be possible...that sounds so OLD...and we are still so young!)

This kind of friendship is truly a gift from God. We are women who love the Lord, and we love one another. What could be better than that? I can honestly say, I am blessed to have been a part of such a bond of friendship for so many years.  We have seen each other at our worst, and also at our best. We learned our ABC's together, struggled through difficult arithmetic problems, and shared our deepest secrets with one another as we progressed from childhood into puberty and into the early stages of young womanhood.  We rejoiced as we received awards, and we pulled each other up as we sometimes missed the mark and suffered defeat. We cried on each other's shoulders when there was a bad "break-up" with a favorite beau, and cheered when someone better came along to make our hearts sing. 

Even though most of us moved on after graduation from high school to bigger places and different worlds, somehow over the years we have gravitated back "home" and have found such joy in reuniting with one another again.  We've raised our babies, and most are now grandmothers. We've had our ups and downs, heartbreaks, disappointments, but we still have joy in our hearts and hope for our futures.

That's what true friendship is all about...even after so many years we can still come together and laugh and cry tears of joy as we reminisce about the "good old days"...and we can encourage each other with words of love and prayers of comfort.  

I like the Proverb that says, "A merry heart does good, like a medicine..." (Proverbs 17:20)...and that goes along with this kind of friendship...being joyful, laughing together, sharing sweet memories...which also does good like a medicine.  

The second part of that Proverb says, "but a broken spirit dries the bones."  Sometimes when we are feeling lost and alone, with a hurting and broken spirit, we do feel like our bones are just plain dried up and our cup of joy is nothing but dregs. That's when we need our friends the most.  Perhaps you don't have any childhood girlfriends to reach out to, but hopefully you have found some special people in your life who can be there for you in the here and now.  Another Proverb (18:24) says,

"A man (woman) who has friends must himself (herself) be friendly..."

I know there have been many times in my life when I wasn't near my childhood girlfriends, and I found myself struggling to find a friend that I could trust.  The rest of verse 24 above says, 

"But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Who is that friend? I hope you already know the answer...it's Jesus, the Friend of all friends, the One Who loves you better than any earthly friend could ever begin to love you. Earthly friends, as wonderful as they are, can't always be there for us. They may want to be there...and may try really hard to meet our needs, but we human beings are only able to do so much. We fall short. Jesus is the only Friend Who can fill our hearts with peace, bring lasting comfort to a broken heart, lift us up when we are sinking in the pit of sin and despair, and turn our lives around and give everlasting hope and so much more...yes, even eternal life!  I hope you already know this Magnificent Friend.  

Jesus says, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Matthew 11:28-30

The Book of Isaiah, chapter 1, verse 18 says:

"Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD,

Though your sins are like scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they be red like crimson,

They shall be as wool."

The David Crowder Band has recently come out with a new song that I have heard on the radio this past week, and it really spoke to my heart. Here are the lyrics:

"Come out of sadness

From wherever you've been

Come broken hearted

Let rescue begin

Come find your mercy

Oh sinner come kneel

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

There's hope for the hopeless

And all those who've strayed

Come sit at the table

Come taste the grace

There's rest for the weary

Rest that endures

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't cure

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

Come as you are

Fall in his arms

Come as you are

There's joy for the morning

Oh sinner be still

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

Earth has no sorrow

That heaven can't heal

So lay down your burdens

Lay down your shame

All who are broken

Lift up your face

Oh wanderer come home

You're not too far

So lay down your hurt

Lay down your heart

Come as you are

Come as you are

Come as you are"

Read more: David Crowder - Come As You Are Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

Click here  for the "Come as You Are" YouTube Video of David Crowder band...Please watch and listen, and "lay down your burdens...lay down your shame...all who are broken, lift up your face. Oh wanderer come home...you're not too far..." 

This post ended up differently than I originally thought...but someone out there needs this message tonight. I hope it has brought hope and comfort to you as it has me.