January 8

You are My friends if you do what I command you. — John 15:14 BSB

There’s something deeply comforting in knowing we can be Christ’s friends and that He opens His heart to us. “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him.” This means that if we are close to Christ, He brings us into intimate fellowship with Him. Many of us don’t realize just how close we can be to Christ. If we’re truly friends with Him, we can talk to Him openly, as a friend speaks to a friend.

“How does Christ speak to us?” someone might ask. A convert from a distant land once said, “When I pray, I talk to Christ. When I read my Bible, Christ speaks to me!” When we live close to Christ, the words of Scripture come alive to us, and through them, He speaks to our hearts.

There was a godly man in Germany named Bengel, known for his close relationship with Christ. One night, a friend wanted to observe him during his personal devotion, so he quietly watched him in secret. Bengel sat at his table for hours, reading his New Testament. Eventually, the clock struck midnight, and the old man raised his hands and said with joy, “Dear Lord Jesus, we are still on the same good terms.” He closed his book, went to bed, and was soon asleep. He had found the true secret of friendship with Christ.