I would say my family and I are close. We haven’t lived geographically near each other for a long time, but relationally, we’re pretty tight on the whole. Likely due to some Italian heritage on my Mum’s side, we grew up and were nurtured in a culture that stood by each other through everything and had one another’s back irrespective of what went down. Similar to the mafia, but without crime. I feel very blessed to have had such an upbringing.
As close and dear as my family are, I have a friend that sticks closer. And so do you.
Pastor Jason shared a message recently called ‘System Malfunction’. He shared about Jesus being outside all systems, providing us a secure source of strength for any malfunctions we can face in life.
So much amazes me about Jesus. As God the Son, He existed outside the system of life on this earth yet entered that same system to help you and me.
When Christ came to earth, He took on our humanity so He could identify with us in every way. He was fully God and fully man, without either being compromised.
There is no road we can walk that He hasn’t travelled.
There is no depth we can sink to that He hasn’t been.
There’s no emotion we can feel that He hasn’t felt.
He is the Friend who sticks closer than a brother, walking beside us in all seasons, knowing what we’re going through.
Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)
…there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
This is why Jesus can sustain us through any system malfunction. Christ, our truest and closest Friend, is with us every step of the way, empathising with us and encouraging us to keep going.