The search for friend

From the Merriam-Webster dictionary-

1: one attached to another by affection or esteem
2 a: one that is not hostile b: one that is of the same nation, party, or group4: a favored companion

From MSN Encarta-

3. ally: an ally, or somebody who is not an enemy
4. advocate of cause: a defender or supporter of a cause, group, or principle


I have been prone to bouts of solitude lately. Maybe you know the type; when you listen to the phone ring but you cannot muster up the energy to answer it. Anyway, that is where I have been at for what seems like forever. If I do talk with someone, it seems like it taps me dry.

At work, I have taken to wearing my headphones. I like to pretend like it’s to keep a happy tune in my head, but I am starting to believe that it is actually an isolation unit.

I have started getting aggravated when my husband asks me questions that I think he should know the answer to. Especially if the answer requires more than a one or two word answer.

I was starting to erect a large wall between God and myself before I went to an all-day prayer conference. It was there that I cried out to Him and begged for my self-inflicted isolation to crumble away.

After that, I was at least willing to talk to Him on a semi-regular basis. Within a matter of days, I received some horrible news that would completely rock my world. I will not go into it here. I will just say it was a ‘10’ on a scale of one to five.

I was sitting in the parking lot at work contemplating my next move. My head cried ‘retreat’ but my heart cried for attention and compassion. I let my heart win. I picked up my cell phone before I could change my mind and I reached out for a friend. I thought I would just have a general, generic call, but when she asked me how I was doing, the word ‘horrible’ spilled out.

Immediately, empathy poured out of her and it caused me to unload all I was carrying around. She listened, encouraged me to keep talking; until I had emptied myself of all the emotional baggage I had been carrying.

We then were able to move on to a conversation about Jesus, a conversation it turns out, that we both needed. I ended up feeling better than I had in weeks. We got together the next week and continued our conversation, which was just really good.

“A (wo)man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a (sister) brother.” Proverbs 18.24

“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.” –Jesus in John 15.13-14

See, I do not think Jesus just meant His life, although that was His most important mission. I believe that when we take time out to truly listen to a friend, that you stop what you are doing, then you are also laying down your life. Jesus realized we were not meant to be alone. Even He did not want to be alone, and He was the Son of God.

I think Jesus showed us His emotional side when many of the people following Him decided His teachings were too tough and left Him. He asked His twelve disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Did He not want to be alone? I do not think He did.

On the night Jesus was betrayed, He went to pray to His Father. He took His disciples with Him, and asked them to stay there and watch. When He came back, they were sleeping. He asked them, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?” In Jesus’ time of need, when He was ‘deeply distressed and troubled, He needed to know He had friends around to support and care for Him.

We were not made to be solitary creatures. Unfortunately, in our day of email, cell phones and computers, we are capable of insulating ourselves from the world at hand. Nevertheless, it is frightening, and can even be dangerous.

The way I see it today is, if Jesus can be open about His needs and emotions, there is no reason I cannot too. And that is good enough for today.

Thank you God, for sending your Son to rescue us. May we all recognize and rejoice his resurrection this New Passover Sunday.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel