Celebrating Dia de Armo y Amista

Today is Love and Friendship day in Colombia! Being from the states when I heard that the Colombians celebrate their version of  Valentine's Day on September 15th I immediately thought of  'romantic' love. Love and friendship are important here and I am thankful that I am seeing this. As I am making lasting friendships that I will cherish here there is no other I cherish more than my Greatest friend who is Jesus.

John 15:12-16 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love that has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you."

Jesus gives everything to his friends—his knowledge of God and his own life. Jesus is my model for friendship because he loves without limits, and He makes it possible for me to live a life of friendship because I have been transformed and continually by everything He shares with me. Jesus and His Father’s deep, sacrificial love for me in these words: “You did not choose me, but I chose you” and “I have called you friends".

Today rarely is "friendship" used to describe what John called "eternal life," the life of salvation that is made possible through Jesus life, death and resurrection. Friendship is the ultimate relationship with God and one another. "Friend" to me is understood as one who loves. Loving the Colombians that I am meeting is easy. The young girls I strive to share Jesus and His love for them comes without any limits. They are blinded by sin and if I can just "shine" His light upon one of them and share the love of His true friendship I will feel I have been one of Jesus model friends.

The young girls yearn for something that they think will satisfy them and forget that the ultimate One is so available for eternity. Please pray with me that these young girls will desire Christ. Pray that each will ask His Spirit to dwell within her and give her the courage to stand boldly before our Heavenly Father. They so long to be loved and have a intimate relationship yet the truest most intimate relationship that is offered to each of us is in Christ.

You can know and recognize Him in that same way as you can truly know and recognize your closest friend, but so much more intimately.

My Love and Blessings to All