"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."
John 19:30

I am sitting here with tears in my eyes and gratitude to my Best Friend, Jesus.  When Jesus said, "It is finished", He took all of my sins and your sins on Him.  He endured such agony and torture that it is impossible to describe in mere words.

I have read many stories of the torture that He endured while hanging on the Cross.  Nobody can put into words the heartache, loneliness, and hurt that Jesus felt in His Heart that day.  He had done nothing wrong, and yet He suffered the worse pain physically and emotionally than any person will ever experience.

One day, Jesus reached down and picked me up and whispered in my ear, "I Love you, Joanne."  That was the first time anyone had ever told me that I was loved.  How is it possible for us to keep hurting His Heart every day considering all He has given and done for us? There are no words to tell you the joy and comfort that filled my heart that day.

I love Jesus so much that I feel like I am going to explode if I can’t talk about it and tell others how Great He is and how much He loves them.  There is no other friend who cares for me like Jesus. He Loves me even when I fail Him, and I fail Him every day just like you do.

Do you know this Friend of mine? Do you know what makes Him happy and what makes Him sad? Do you even want to know my Friend?  You may be saved, but do you really know Him?

October 5, 2005