“No longer do I call you servants,for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
John 15:15
Jesus Christ is our closest and best Friend. He definitely intends to provide everything we need. No want can be unsupplied. No sorrow will go uncomforted. Truly nothing dark can master us. For time and eternity we are safe in his care. It will not be the streets of gold, and the gates of pearl, and the river and the trees, that will make heaven for us—it will be the companionship, the friendship of Christ. Our hearts can never find true peace without Him drawing close to us. He is aggressive in this, Jesus pulls Himself as close as we allow.
“…The consciousness that Christ is our Friend and we are His should check every evil thought, quell every bitter feeling, sweeten every emotion, and make all our life holy, true and heavenly.”
“It is a joy to Jesus when a person takes time to walk more intimately with Him. The bearing of fruit is always shown in Scripture to be a visible result of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.”
How are you? I just had to send a note to tell you how much I love you and care about you. I saw you yesterday as you were talking with your friends. I waited all day hoping you would want to talk with Me also. As evening drew near, I gave you a sunset to close your day and a cool breeze to rest you – and I waited. You never came. Oh yes, it hurt me – but I still love you because I am your friend.
I saw you fall asleep last night and longed to touch your brow, so I spilled moonlight upon your face and pillow. Again, I waited, wanting to rush down so we could talk. I have so many gifts for you! You awakened late and rushed off to work without ever thinking of Me, and I still love you. My tears were in the rain.
Today you looked so sad – so all alone. It makes My heart ache because I understand. My friends let Me down too and hurt Me many times, but I love you. Oh, if you would only listen to Me! I LOVE YOU! I try to tell you in the blue sky and in the quiet green grass. I whisper it in the leaves on the trees and breathe it in the colors of flowers. I shout it to you in the mountain streams and give the birds love songs to sing.
I clothe you with warm sunshine and perfume the air with nature scents. My love for you is deeper than the ocean and bigger than the biggest want or need that you will ever have. Oh, if you only knew how much I want to walk and talk with you. We could spend an eternity together in heaven. I know how hard it is on this earth. I really know! And I want to help you.
I want you to know my Father. He wants to help you too. My father is the way, you know. Just call Me – ask Me – talk with Me! Oh, please don’t forget Me. I have so much to share with you! All right, I won’t bother you any further. You are free to choose or reject Me. It is your decision. I have chosen you and because of this, I will wait – because I LOVE YOU!
Your Friend,
Jesus
Not sure who wrote this “letter” but I really appreciate it. So thank you, whoever you are. –B
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:14-15 ESV
Jesus declares and reveals something substantial here. He is the “good shepherd.” If we split this statement apart, we get “good.” We also get “shepherd.” And we simply must insist on both. Somehow, deep down, these two ‘particulars’ take on the most definite positions in our lives. We are desperate for anything good; and we know our need for a shepherd. We struggle so hard, and this understanding will carry us a very long way.
This verse tells us– He knows us!
He is fully aware of you in this present moment. This is amazing, to be aware that He engages us on the level were we are now at. Think about, its like He has our ‘x-ray’ in front of Him. He knows and understands us completely and fully.
The remainder of this verse goes on to suggest that we (yes, we) know Him. Now I have a multitude of issues, but when I sift them out, there is a deep awareness of His presence. I completely understand (as much as I’m able) of who He is, and I can’t shake Him. Once touched we’ll never be satisfied with anything else (and Lord knows we will try.)
While visiting this planet, Jesus maintained His connection with the Father. He would take this sense of intimacy with His Father down ‘into the stretch.’ And that pattern of love would take place in our hearts and minds. And now we have finally found our place– with him, with the Father.
The very last part, v. 15, places itself right in the middle of our understanding. He will definitely die for us. He wants to, and is eager to lay down His life to make us His own. It all seems foolish, I know. But He very much wants to bring us into His deep presence.
The idea that we are sheep is factored in. He dies for us. The Shepherd will now face crucifixion in order to claim His sheep. He will go to a painful and ugly death to give us life that is eternal.
“And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.”
Hebrews 1:2-3, NLT
There is an idea of an existance of a ‘common grace’ that touches every person on this rock called Earth. What is suggested with this, is that every person has access to grace; at least on a basic level, such as nature, government, medical, education and judicial. We all are sharing in common grace whether we are saved or not.
Common grace explains a great deal,“He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”(Matt. 5:45) They both benefit from His care, whether they believe or disbelieve.
On the other pole, lies ‘special grace.’ It is different. It is grace that is given to those who put their trust in the promises for salvation, deliverance and healing. These promises can only be enjoyed by a Christian believer. Special grace is grace that God gives to each one who is in a covenant relationship with Himself.
I got up early the other morning, with a cup of coffee in hand and went to sit out on my steps. I have to tell you that mornings are truly delightful here in Alaska. As I sat looking at the trees and watching the clouds, the sun was caught by the trees and they began to glow. (I always think of the burning bush of Moses and secretly wonder if trees don’t remember and try to emulate their ancestor so long ago.) I hear the cranes from the lake. And all of this touches me.
Just as I physically awoke 20 minutes ago, I now awaken spiritually. Common grace makes this all possible. When I first became a believing Christian, I was quite amazed at how blue the sky was. The grass seemed greener. I remember feeling amazed that I hadn’t noticed these things before. I guess I was full of joy over the special grace that I had just been given.
“Common grace curbs the destructive power of sin, maintains in a measure the moral order of the universe, thus making an orderly life possible, distributes in varying degrees gifts and talents among men, promotes the development of science and art, and showers untold blessings upon the children of men.”
–Louis Berkof, Christian theologian
I love common grace. It makes it possible to enjoy my coffee in the sunshine on the deck. Common grace allows me to hear the crane’s special song. People everywhere are drawing from the common well of common grace. “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.” (John 1:4)
“…The consciousness that Christ is our Friend and we are His should check every evil thought, quell every bitter feeling, sweeten every emotion, and make all our life holy, true and heavenly.”
Broken Believers 