Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection was and remains an unprecedented act of God’s Love for us. We know from the Bible that Jesus remained on earth for 40 days, after His Resurrection:

“After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.” Acts 1: 3

While there are not a lot of details about Jesus’ activities during this period, we know enough to understand that He returned to those whom He loved, to encourage His disciples and to help them to tie these events to Scripture, so that they might go forward, proclaiming the Kingdom of God.

The reality of Jesus’ friendship is a gift of amazing love.

The very name “Jesus” conjures up so many images in our hearts and minds, right? When asked to describe Jesus, we use words like brave and holy and pure and immortal. We also describe Jesus as prophet, teacher, Messiah, the Son of God – and Savior. It is perhaps easier, on some level, to accept Jesus as all these things, as these attributes reinforce His divinity.

Jesus was also a friend to those around Him. It is the acknowledgement of Jesus’ friendship and humanity that changes everything.

I love this image of Jesus from The Shack, by William Paul Young. The Shack is the fictional story of a grieving father, Mack, who finds God in the midst of a devastating tragedy. In Chapter 7, Mack and Jesus go out to the dock to look at the stars. Here is an excerpt from the chapter:

“They made their way three-quarters up the dock and lay down on their backs, looking up. The elevation of this place seemed to magnify the heavens, and Mack reveled in seeing stars in such numbers and clarity. Jesus suggested that they close their eyes for a few minutes, allowing the lasting effects of dusk to disappear for the night. Mack complied, and when he finally opened his eyes, the sight was so powerful that he experienced vertigo for a few seconds. It almost felt like he was falling up into space, the stars racing toward him as if to embrace him. He lifted his hands, imagining that he could reach out and pluck the diamonds, one by one, off a velvet-black sky.

“’Wow!’ he whispered.

“’Incredible!’ whispered Jesus. ‘I never get tired of this.’” – Excerpt from The Shack, by William Paul Young

This scene within Young’s story always makes me cry. The tenderness and humanity that unfolds within Young’s book paints an amazing, humbling picture of Jesus as our friend. It is how I imagine Him.

I am not going to kid you – inviting Jesus into our lives changes things for all of us. In Young’s book, Mack’s encounter with Jesus compels him to ultimately make peace with the tragedy that has occurred in his family. Forgiveness is an unthinkable act for Mack, and yet with Jesus’ friendship and love, the unthinkable happens.

When we invite Jesus into our hearts, we learn that walking with Jesus is about learning to rely on and trust in Him as our Savior – and as our friend. Jesus desires that we become steadfast and immovable in our faith – so that, ultimately, we might love as He loves.

Remember that Jesus is Love:

“Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is Love. This is how God shows His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is Love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us [first] and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4: 7-10

Jesus knows that by loving those who are His own in the world, He is sharing with them the love of God the Father. So too, when we love, are we sharing the love of Jesus and God with the people He has blessed us to know.

Jesus’ compassion and humanity, on broad display throughout the Bible, is both humbling and inspiring. His desire to be our friend is as real today as it was centuries ago, during the 40 days He walked the earth once again, having risen from the grave. There is a scene in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 24: 13-35), where the Risen Jesus appears alongside Cleopas and another unnamed disciple. The two disciples are making their way to a village called Emmaus. This is one of my favorite scenes: The two disciples are discussing everything that has occurred – the arrest, the trial, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection – when Jesus shows up alongside them, on the road. They walk and talk for some time, with Jesus not revealing to them His true identity. Jesus keeps His identity hidden at first, listening and talking with them, and helping them to understand what has happened within the context of Scripture and the prophets. But then at dinner, Jesus reveals Himself fully, and the disciples suddenly recognize Him:

“When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” Luke 24: 30-32

Jesus knew how hard it would be for His disciples to understand all that had happened. He understood that His disciples would be filled with awe and fear and uncertainty, so He took extra time and care to help them, before returning to the Father.

Jesus’ desire to be our friend is real. He makes this same promise to each one of us, still today:

“I am with you always, even until the end of time.” Matthew 28: 20

The longing that exists deep within our hearts, to love and to be loved, is an invitation to know Jesus.

With each new sunrise, recognize the reality of Jesus’ friendship.

“From the very first time I came to know the Lord, the gaze of my soul became drowned in Him for all eternity. Each time the Lord draws close to me and my knowledge of Him grows deeper, a more perfect love grows within my heart.” – Excerpt from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (Diary, 231)

The love and friendship of Jesus will change your life.