My Friend

He brought me this far. Over mountain peaks and rugged grandeur, through valleys of weariness and sometimes despair, this has been my journey. I had to find my own way, I thought. There were times when I was alone. Alone with my conscience and my doubts. Then I would be encouraged when I called out and He helped me through the muddy waters. Often the sun shone and His warmth soothed my soul. I could see the way ahead. That’s what kept me going. And there was the eternal promise of my destination.

My knowledge and understanding have grown with the miles. At first there was the thrill and excitement of knowing that He was with me. That was when He was very close to me. “Come with me and I will show you great and wonderful things.” I shared this with friends and invited them to come too. Some did. Some didn’t. For a while we were avid explorers on a journey of discovery. Hope filled our hearts, fuelled by joy and excitement.

What happened? The world got in the way. We all drifted apart and went our own ways. But I knew He was with me, most of the time, I thought. I began to discover truths that opened up the bigger picture. Probably the most exciting thing I learned was that through the many dangers, toils and troubles He cared. This revelation came through times of loneliness and doubt. “Call upon me and I will answer You,” He said. “Don’t worry about anything. I am with you - always.” And He was. And He is. “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

We developed a close relationship. He became my constant companion. I began to realise that this wasn’t all about me, and how I had to deal with my various problems. It was about Him, and what He had done to secure my future. He was my guide and my comforter. A very present help in times of trouble. Now there was hope. Not just for the future, but for the present, continuous and assuring.

If only I had known then what I know now. My experiences helped me to realise that life wasn’t my battle. It was His. But the wonder is that He had already fought it Himself, and overcome, for me. He had known me from the beginning, and even before. And He loved me. This I found hard to grasp, until I realised that nothing I did could diminish His love. In fact, it drew me closer.

“My Lord and my God.” This took a long time to sink in. I still had to prove my worth, I thought - only I didn’t. All that I needed to do to maintain our relationship had already been done. I no longer have to face the world alone. He is my shield and protector. My guide and companion. Now I can trust Him in all things and know that He is my dearest friend. My Saviour and my Lord.