“AH, HOW GOOD IT FEELS, THE HAND OF A FRIEND.” I am reading that on a greeting card which is in my hand. On top of that is written “Friendship”. On another card you can find the Japanese Proverb “With a friend at your side no road seems too long”.

You can find a lot of greeting cards talking about friendship. There seems to be a longing for a friend in all of us. Am I right? Just two more thoughts I read on cards: “They say friends are hard to find, luckily I know where you are.” ” Good friends are like stars, you don’t always see them. But you always know they are there.”

Yes, there is a longing for a friend in all of us. It is a joy for me to tell you about my friend, my best friend. My best friend is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is even a song about my best friend. The hymn is written by Joseph Scriven and this is verse three:

Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour, still our refuge-take it to the Lord in prayer. DO THY FRIENDS DESPISE, FORSAKE THEE? Take it to the Lord in prayer; in His arms He’ll take and shield thee-thou wilt find a solace there.

I hope you have noticed the words “DO THY FRIENDS DESPISE, FORSAKE THEE?”

And these are now the words of my best friend. They are recorded in His Word and He Himself says to me, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

“CHRIST, WHO IS YOUR LIFE.”– Colossians 3:4 I am reading just now on the tenth of August in the devotional book by CH Spurgeon called “Morning and Evening.” As some of you probably know that are Daily Readings.

“Christ, who is your life.” That reminds me of something I read some time ago.

I am talking now about Dilmah tea. “The founder’s story is in every pack of Dilmah tea.” In his story he says,”TEA IS OUR LIFE.” On the pack of Dilmah tea I read also, “Dilmah is a very special tea. Its founder has dedicated his life to tea, and he has mastered the art of making tea. He guides his family business with care, pride and passion. You can’t beat that!!”

Are we as Christians not challenged by business people like that and want to say,

“CHRIST IS MY LIFE!

“MY LIFE IS DEDICATED TO CHRIST!

“I WANT TO SERVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WITH PASSION!”

And believe it or not, but I am drinking now a cup of the “very special tea.” (Dilmah)

wd