Walking with God

Whatever the issue, Jesus has been through it – and has come out on the other side, victorious.

… there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Prov­erbs 18:24)

Friendship means different things to different people: from deep commitment to casual acquaintanceship; from fun to formality; from confidante to companion – all of us have different ideas and expectations of what “friendship” means.

But Jesus' friendship with us is not one thing to one person and something different to another. Whatever our human experiences and expectations (or lack of them!), the Bible promises us that Jesus' friendship is solid and secure, unchanging from one day to the next - a friendship that “sticks by us,” come what may.

Jesus sticks by us, no matter how we might let Him down. He will never leave us, never let us down – even when we have failed Him, as Peter discovered. Three times, Peter vehemently denied Jesus at the end; but Jesus forgave him and, to wipe out that three-fold denial, gave him a three-fold commission after the resurrection to care for His sheep. This Friend sticks by us, even when we do not do stick by Him.

Jesus sticks by us, even when others don’t. He knows what it is to be deserted by friends, for they all left Him in Gethsemane as the soldiers came to arrest Him, fleeing for their lives; but He will never do that to us. Paul discovered this for himself one day. He recounts to Timothy of how, when on trial, “no-one came to my support, but everyone deserted me … But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength” (2 Timothy 4:16-17).

Jesus sticks by us, no matter what we might be facing. Whatever the issue, Jesus has been through it – and has come out on the other side, victorious. He faced temptation, weariness, misunderstanding, false accusation, rejection – that’s why He understands it and can stick by us and help us as we walk through it.

Whatever we are facing, Jesus our friend has promised to “stick by us,” come what may. Through his Spirit he will be with us and will help us face whatever today might bring.

I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5) 

© Copyright 2017 Martin Manser and Mike Beaumont