My Best Friend

Yesterday I was blessed to minister to a group of elementary kids in a club we are associated with. I had a different message planned than the one that God used me to give. I'd like to give you a simple testimony and overview. Please note this is not exactly how I said it, but very close.

I asked them if they had a "best friend" and of course they all said they did. I asked them if they talked and spent time with their best friend and one again they all said they did. "What if you didn't talk for a long time?" Suddenly the room was split, some said they would and some said they wouldn't still be best friends.

I proceeded to share the story of my best friend Mark. I was born in Michigan and when I was 9 my family moved to Nashville. A year after that Mark's family moved from Michigan to Nashville and we ended up in the same church.  One day I was talking to Mark and discovered that he was also a Detroit Tiger fan and a baseball card collector.  That's how we became friends. As we got older we ran around together in junior high and high school.  We spent a lot of time together, until my family moved to Tulsa.  

For a number of years we hardly spoke because of the distance, but in my mind Mark was still my best friend. We started connecting once or twice a month over the phone many years ago and we still do. God has even used our friendship to help me reach kids across the nation through Kids for Christ USA because Mark is and has been one of my biggest donors for years. We are both 50 now (gasps rung out across the room) and we are still best friends.

I told them that I think my friendship with Mark is a example of what Jesus wants to have with us. Sure its awesome when we can hang out or talk all the time, but just like Mark is my buddy all the time, Jesus wants to be not just 'your Savior, but your best friend. He never leaves you even if you don't talk to him much He is still there being your best friend. I explained that its better if you talk to him that talking to God is also called praying, but that its really just talking to your friend Jesus. 

I then asked them to all close their eyes. I shared that just like your friends Jesus likes to be asked to be your friend. He wants to hang out with you. He wants you to know him.  He wants you to receive what he did for you by taking your sins. You see unlike my friend Mark, Jesus is first the son of God and my savior and He wants to be that for you too. I then explained that if you've asked him into your life before you don't need to do this again, but if you'd like to ask Him to be your savior and friend raise your hand. It was such a sweet moment and about 15 (out of 60-80) raised their hands. IT WAS AWESOME!!--Bob Heath