Thursday, May 18, 2000

VERSE:

Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.

-- Luke 5:18

http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?Luke+5:18

THOUGHT:

There are reasons to many elements in life. When we are cold we seek warmth; in pain, comfort; and hungry, food. When it comes to friends, it seems there is no reason why, and for that matter, sometimes no reason why not. It just seems there is a connection. It is hard to define. We have friends that are of different political affiliations, friends that are wealthy and strapped for cash. We have friends that would carry us a mile, and then some as long as need be. Many friends we see daily or weekly, then some of our closest friends we see only once a year. You are not a friend because you want to be treated as a friend, you are friend because of what is going on inside of your heart.

Hear the Good News, like the man who was carried, by his friends, into the presence of Christ to be healed, Christ brings us to His Father. You know why? Not because we are worthy to be a friend, but because Christ in His love for us, values who we are and what we are. No matter our brokeness, what ever it may be, He loves us. He sets a perfect example of who we are to be to others.

Jesus loved and loves us with our pimples, our fat, our pre-pubescent changes and our "I'm-getting-older-and-don't-know-what-to-do-with-my-life" state. It doesn't not matter that we are a genius or really slow. The fact remains Jesus loves us, just because. So instead of beating up on yourself or others because they don't measure up to what ever expectation might be placed on them, love them and reach out to them, that they might know the love of Jesus through you. Believe it or not, when they see and experience the love of Jesus through you, they experience the love of Jesus. Don't hold this back, share it.

PRAYER:

Father, thank You for placing Jesus in my life. Let me share His love with others. Remind me that friendship comes from love and that as You have loved me, I am to share that with others. To those that I have a great difficulty loving, give me a sense of peace that I might restore any broken relationship that might be there and take it to You for Your healing. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.