What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Picking up where I left off in the last post, I believe Jesus' ministry continues today. He lives in us and preaches the Gospel to our souls every day. He cures our diseases and fights Satan on our behalf. He enables us to serve. Even more importantly, he is alive in the church, which is his bodily presence on earth. Jesus is doing marvelous things through us as a whole, although on an individual level, we may look like a sorry lot. I love the lyrics to the Sara Groves song, "When the Saints." Here's a portion:

"I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul
I see the young missionary and the end of the spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear
I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the lepers side
I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion coming, kicking down the door
I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load
And when the saints go marching in, I want to be one of them"

It reminds me of all the ways in which the Church is carrying out our commission. Jesus actually told his followers it was better for him to depart and send the Spirit. (See John 16:7) Better? How can that be?!? I think Jesus meant that for the Church as a whole, having the Holy Spirit was even better than having His bodily presence because the Holy Spirit can be with many people in different places all the time. And, the Holy Spirit lives in us, can shape our innermost being. That means that Jesus can enable his followers to do his work all over the world, just like those who Sara Groves sings about. And anytime we want to talk with Him, worship him, or cry out for his help, we don't have to wait for a person to show up. He is already with us. I'm reminded of another song, "What a friend I've found, closer than a brother..."

I have found that Jesus is the best and most reliable friend I've ever had. He is honest, kind, generous, loyal, powerful, patient, compassionate, exciting, instructive, interesting, interested (in me and others), wise, helpful, valiant, perfect in his encouragement and his conviction--and so much more. To serve someone like him is an honor. To be called his friend is astonishing and wonderful.