For if, when we were God's enemies,
we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son,
how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
~Romans 5:10
There is a song called "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," an old gospel song that I remember singing as a
young boy sitting in the third pew at Hillside Chapel, in Jackson, Ohio. As Wanda played the piano, everyone in the congregation would sing as loud as we could! The song has a great little melody that has stayed with me
even through my rebellious years.
But why? As I become more conscious about the words I speak out of my mouth and this song rings in my head, why would I sing this song? Besides, after I get past those first seven
words (What a friend we have in Jesus), unless I have the book with words to the song, everything else becomes "da da da da da da". Now as I asked and ponder upon this question, God has already placed the
answer in my heart. You see, as I was young (and I am sure you were taught the song too), I was taught the song "Jesus Loves Me". But God goes on from there to deeper meaning.
As the leaves falls in nature and they
die, they bring forth new beginnings in the spring as nourishment to the ground where food can be planted and new grass can grow. He tells me to look at the young lady's life we celebrated this past Sunday (Whitney
Riffe) and how she lived and how through her passing, she has brought so very many souls to God and how when she was alive, she used her gifts and talents to spread the love of Jesus Christ. Whitney and her beautiful
voice touched our church so much when she visited, we will celebrate this young lady's work for God each and every year. Then God said, "Look at your life Cory" and I realized that only through the life and death of
Jesus Christ would I ever know what I know now…so I am blessed today to sing and surely feel the song, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus".
May God Richly Bless You and Yours Always,
Pastor Cory P. Pariseau
Crossroads World Christian Center Church
