Friends

Rev’s Reflections

10-14-2011

C.J. Wickersham looked into the camera with a big smile on his face and said, “He’s my friend. He saved my life” C.J. and a group of six friends had been out in a boat spear fishing near Tampa Bay, Florida. C.J. was in the water and suddenly yelled out, “I’ve been bitten by a shark.” Within seconds blood was in the water. His friends got him out of the water and rushed him to shore. By the time he got to the hospital he had lost over 6 pints of blood. But the quick action of his friends saved his life. Thus, the big smile into the camera.

I am going to see my long time friend Ray Smith tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. Our friendship has endured 40 years. It is has had some odd twists. My sophomore year of college, Ray became the head football coach at Hope. Ray made me a better player. Ray made me a better person. Most importantly, Ray made me take being a Christ follower more seriously. God used Ray to change my life.

When I returned to Holland to attend seminary after a year of teaching high school, Ray asked me to join his coaching staff at Hope. We spent countless hours together. I also worked in the Chaplain’s office at Hope and continued to do so for seven years. Ray and I were colleagues. His faith and his family were his number one priorities. He and his wife deeply cared about students and were instrumental in bringing others closer to Jesus as they had done for me.

In one of God’s great ironic twists, when I joined Hope’s Board of Trustees over 20 years ago, I, technically, became Ray’s boss! My trips to Holland for Board meetings always provide an excuse for us to get together. When the weather permits, we play golf together. He has visited every church I have ever served and we can expect to see he and his wife at ECRC some day.

Like C.J. Wickersham, I can smile and say that in some way, Ray Smith is my friend and he saved my life.

When we were created God declared that it was not good for us to be alone. We are not meant to do life alone. We need companions, friends, for the journey.

Jesus is our savior, Lord, rock, messiah, redeemer, defender, destroyer, and so much more. But in John 15, Jesus tells us that we are His friends. Jesus is our friend and He has saved our lives.

I am lucky to have a friend like Ray Smith. I could write a book of stories about the way he has demonstrated that he is my friend. I hope you have some really good friends. Not just people who laugh with you, support you and encourage you, but friends who also challenge you to be a better person and hold you accountable to live up to your declared identity.

But most importantly, remember that Jesus is our friend and He saved our life.

This week in worship at ECRC we will continue to make our way through Jesus’ Upside Down Thinking in the Sermon on the Mount. This week Jesus recommends a radical step for us to live into being one of His followers.

God bless,

Rev

Peter Semeyn