A Very Special Friend

So I think I already posted something about the "Ultimate Relationship," earlier on, but something God has been reminding me of lately is that He is the Ultimate Friend. Ultimate meaning, of course, that it can't be beat or surpassed. I have been blessed with several close  earthly friends, all of whom I am very thankful for. I love them to pieces, and whenever I have a spare moment, I am usually thinking of one person or another, and praying for them. People are SUPER valuable to me, and I can't imagine life without them.

     Recently, I haven't had the opportunity to spend as much time with my friends, and I've been missing it... a lot. My friends really help build me up and focus on Christ. Without seeing them as much, I've missed that support as well as something to take my mind off of... things I don't want to think about. I've missed asking them all the random questions that pop into my head, and I've missed all their often insightful thoughts and advice. But as much as I adore all the people in my life, I often forget how fulfilling Jesus can be. Here's some of the things that I've been appreciating about HIM... my friend,  my Savior, and God!

First, God doesn't CHANGE! As much as I despise (and I really do despise) change, it's all around me. From location changes to what is on hand for breakfast, not much is really consistent in my outside world. And then there's this annoying thing that plagues my thought patterns called... (drum roll please) emotions. Oh yes, they really do feel like a plague at times. They fog up any logical pieces that might possibly be in my brain, and often overpower what I know is right. Sometimes I feel like there's this giant, complicated maze called life, through which I'm supposed to navigate. There's only one right way to get through it, and it requires all of my mental energies and ZERO distractions for me to choose what's right. And then a murky wall of fog titled "The Cloud of Emotion" sets in, and I can't see or even focus on what I'm really supposed to do.

Okay, cheesy example, but you get the picture. Emotions confuse everything! They can change from exhilaration to despair in a matter of minutes. Same with life circumstances: they change! People change, too, because they have emotions, hidden motives, and misunderstandings! But God doesn't change. And when He first made me, when I was a cute little baby who hadn't hardly sinned,  He saw me as beloved. And now, after ALL the things I've done... things that would bring great embarrassment to any normal parent... He still sees me the same way! My friend reminded me recently of a song lyric that has been stuck in my head since: "When I don't measure up to much in this life, I'm still treasured in the arms of Christ." Wow... even when I've done NOTHING to bring Him pleasure, I'm still His treasure. That shocks my socks off!

One more thing that God has recently brought to mind about His character: HE'S the initiator. The process of Salvation started with Him intiating... and drawing me to Himself. He wanted ME! There are several (but not all) of my friends who I've done a lot of the initiaing with, especially ones I met at camp. I introduced myself. I started conversations. I tried to make people feel welcome, and we became friends. But I never got the sense they wanted to know me first. Same with the kids in my Sunday School. To start the relationship, it was work! It was really, really FUN work, but I had to work my little brain to think of questions to ask, and to remember that Olivia likes horses, and Leah does gymnastics... not the other way around. But Jesus is different! He desired a relationship with me first, and HE has revealed pieces of himself to me.  To me, that initiation is really special, because it shows that He thinks I'm WORTH the time and the effort to have relationship with me. I know there's more to say, but I've been rambling already, and it's time to cut it off. But what an incredible friend I have in Jesus.