Who is your all-time best friend? The one person you would single out above all the others? Think for a few moments about what makes this friend shine brighter than the others.

Do you and your best friend share some common interests? What things do you admire about him -- a sense of humor, intelligence, confidence, generosity? When you are together, do you find that your personalities complement one another?

These are important factors, but they probably don't get to the core of what gives your best friend the number-one position in your heart and mind. Think about it -- isn't your best friend the one you trust more than the others? The one you can depend on to be by your side, regardless of circumstances or consequences? The one with whom you can share secret fears or go to for advice on sensitive -- even embarrassing -- matters?

Jesus is that kind of companion. You may have thought of Him as your leader, your teacher, and the Lord of your life. And He is all of those things. But Jesus is also your friend. In the New Testament, Jesus reveals that those who follow Him are His friends, not just disciples or devotees.

Acknowledging Jesus as your friend can bring a whole new dynamic to your relationship with Him.

Realizing that Jesus is your friend can make your relationship with Him closer. The role of teacher-student or employer-employee can be a barrier to closeness. In fact, many teachers and managers are cautioned to avoid becoming too close to those under their authority.

But it's a different story with friends. Since Jesus calls you a friend, there is no professionally mandated distance between the two of you. You can get as close as you want. You can dispense with the formalities and pour out your heart to Him. You can be honest with Him. You can cry before Him if you need to. And, as with any true friend, His door is always open.

Because Jesus is your friend, you can communicate with Him about anything. Jesus will listen to your thoughts, opinions, and concerns, regardless of the topic. You can go to Him even when you aren't seeking wisdom or guidance. You can approach Jesus merely to tell Him how you feel.

Now review the question in the first paragraph. If God has blessed you with an earthly best friend, you are fortunate indeed. But don't forget that you have a heavenly Best Friend too. And He would love to hear from you.

-- Checklist for Life

-- Matthew 6:6
But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

-- Matthew 11:28-30
28 "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

-- Luke 5:20
When Jesus saw their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

-- John 4:23-24
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

-- Hebrews 10:22-25
22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who has promised is faithful.

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

-- James 4:7-8
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

-- Revelation 3:20-22
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.

21 I will allow everyone who wins the victory to sit with Me on My throne, as I have won the victory and have sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 Let the person who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

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-- Psalms 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and love shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

-- Psalms 119:1-3
1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart. 3 They do nothing wrong; they walk in His ways.

-- Psalms 145:18-19
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.

-- Jeremiah 29:11-13
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

-- Isaiah 55:6-11
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near; 7 let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that He may have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.