We have had a good week so far. We start revival tonight so I am looking forward to that. Yesterday I got a call about a brother who doesn’t attend our church, but that is a relative to someone who does. I have done some work for them, and they have come to our services from time to time. They had a surgery not long ago and we went to have prayer with them at the hospital. Yesterday they had some more medical problems and wound up in the emergency room. My daughter Casey and I went down so we could have prayer with them. When I went back to the room, it was just me and the brother, he was in quite a bit of pain but he was able to carry on a conversation with me. As we talked he put is hand on my knee and said you have been “a good friend”. It did shock me a little, just because I really didn’t feel that I had done much at all for them. The work I did for them he paid me for, and really paid me good, I hadn’t visited that much, some, but not like every other week or anything. Then it dawned on me, just being there made a difference to him. I think sometimes we look at friendship in a completely wrong way. It is not hanging out all the time, or giving things to each other, or even talking a lot together. It is the confidence of knowing that you can depend on someone. Knowing that even if you don’t call they would have a desire to help. It’s knowing their character well enough to know that they are only a phone call away, dependable, reliable, that they won’t say no when you need them. WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS, ALL OUR SINS AND GRIEFS TO BEAR! WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO CARRY EVERYTHING TO GOD IN PRAYER. OH WHAT PEACE WE OFTEN FORFEIT, OH WHAT NEEDLESS PAIN WE BEAR, ALL BECAUSE WE DO NOT CARRY EVERYTHING TO GOD IN PRAYER. If we are one of God’s children then we have a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, JESUS, is the best friend I have ever had. He not only listens, but helps me carry my burdens. I have to tell you that when God gives the gift of pastoring a work, you do not have an option of discussing everything with others, or even have the privilege of sharing things with a best friend here on earth. Christ is the only avenue to carry the things that come with being a pastor. Thank God for Jesus, my dearest friend.