HEAL - God's Heart for Healing in JohnSample

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Meeting John 

Today’s tech-savvy folks frequently employ initials to express a commonly-used phrase. One of the favorites used by those who share a bond of love is “B.F.F.” (i.e. Best Friend Forever). John was indeed Jesus’ B.F.F.! And he proved himself faithful to His Lord, Savior, and divine Friend by fulfilling His mandate to “love one another as I have loved you.” It was in this spirit of love that he always addressed the recipients of his writings. John understood that the relationship between the divine Lord and those He calls to be His believers and followers was to be one of sacred friendship.

We glimpse a hint that our Lord well-knew what that was like in John’s account of Jesus’ final discussion with all of His disciples -- those he had chosen to be with Him, learn from Him, and carry on the work of His father’s kingdom here on earth. Jesus said to them, without a hint of embarrassment: “until now, I have called you servants, but now I call you my friends.”  Under the stress of anticipating what the coming days would bring, the Creator and Lord of mankind reached out to those closest to Him in this world for friendship.

Notice that it is only in the account of Jesus by John that we find this heartfelt need recorded. John got it! The bond of love forged between himself and his Lord was so solid that later, in his own Gospel, rather than referring to himself by name, John simply recounts that it was “the disciple whom He loved” that Jesus entrusted the keeping of His own mother, as He felt His life ebbing away on the cross.

Questions:

1. Do I believe Jesus still desires to have friends here on earth? 

2. How does my friendship with Jesus look?

3. Do I believe that He has sent His Holy Spirit to enable me to live in a loving, saving, healing, eternal friendship with God Himself?