Jesus Calls Us Friends

I’ve had friends come and go in my life, but none that have laid down their life for me. What a friend we have in Jesus. Words cannot express His love for us.

What must it have been like to be one of the women who sat at the feet of Jesus? The Gospel of Mark says they were at the scene of the crucifixion of the Lord:

Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. Mark 15:40-41 (NLT)

We can only imagine what these women must have felt seeing Him hanging on the cross. He was their Savior, King, Rabbi, and friend. My heart breaks to think of the cost He paid for us.

How can we show our appreciation for such a tremendous sacrifice? We can offer our lives back to Him. We can serve others with gladness. We can love others as we love ourselves. We can get up every morning asking Him, what we can do for You today? My Pastor spoke this Sunday about giving Him joy; this can be our mission. Let’s think of our lives as a love letter in response to all that He has done for us.

When we live our lives for Him, we fulfill His plan. The women in Jesus’ life stayed with Him to the end and even after, they stayed to help prepare His body for the tomb. What extraordinary dedication. In my life, I’ve realized how much more I need to yield to Him.

When you enjoy a close friendship, you look forward to talking with that person. You set aside time to spend with them. I aspire to live my life as a friend of Jesus—not only thinking about what I need from Him, but of what He wants of me and for me. Prayer can begin with thanks and praise; He already knows our needs and problems, so why not offer Him thanks first?

Jesus has called us “friends” (John 15:15). He endured the cross “because of the joy awaiting him” (Hebrews 12:2), and He is worthy of all our love and adoration.