January 8

“You are my friends–if you do whatever I command you.” — John 15:14

There is something very sweet in the thought, that we may be Christ’s friends, and that he opens all his heart to us. “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him.” This means that if we are Christ’s friends–he takes us into the closest intimacy. Not many of us realize all that is possible, in the way of companionship with Christ. If we are on terms of unhindered friendship with him–we can indeed talk with him freely, intimately, as friend with friend.

“How does he talk with us?” some one asks. A heathen convert said, “When I pray–I talk to Christ! When I read my Bible–Christ speaks to me!” If we live close to Christ—the words of Scripture are very plain to us; Christ himself indeed speaks to us in them.

There was a godly man in Germany, named Bengel, who was noted for his intimacy with Christ. A friend desired to watch the saintly man at his devotions. So he concealed himself one night in his room. Bengel sat long at his table reading his New Testament. The hours passed. At length the clock struck midnight, and the old man spread out his hands, and said with great joy, “Dear Lord Jesus, we are on the same old terms.” Then closing his book he was soon in bed and asleep. He had learned the secret of friendship with Christ.