“When you’re down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night”
~ James Taylor – You’ve Got A Friend
We all need a friend from time to time in our lives. There are those occasions when we are certain that we are all alone, that no one understands us, that no one is there for us, that no one will come to our aid. We become certain that we will have to go it alone.
It does not have to be that way.
There is always someone who is available to us, as a friend, a confidant, and a protector. That someone, of course, is the Lord. We all know the next lines of the song: “You just call out my name and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running…”
It really is that easy.
Jesus does not hide himself from us. He is not distant to us. He is right there, by our side, just waiting to be invited into our lives. If the Lord seems distant, it is because we have distanced ourselves from Him and not the other way around. God never removes Himself from us. He is always present, always listening, always ready to lend a hand.
God’s Achilles’ heel, if you will, is that He has given us free will. He might be right by our side; but, He is not going to intrude into our lives. He is not going to force a relationship upon us. He waits, loving and patiently, for us to call out His name.
We never have to go it alone. We always have a friend ready to come to our aid. That friend is Jesus. Count on it and call on Him. He’ll come running to see you again.
FAITH ACTION: Do you know someone who needs the help of a friend? Be that friend today and lighten their load. In doing so, you will show them the love of God.