Friends with God and with others

In Christ Jesus, God befriends us, as I blogged the other day.  That God is friends with us propels you and me to lovingly befriend our neighbours and help them to enjoy God’s friendship, too.  We sang about this yesterday at Telkwa CRC, using this hymn by Roy Berkenbosch of The King’s University College and CRWRC…

In Christ Jesus, God befriends us,
comes to meet us in our need;
by His wounded flesh Christ heals us,
from the powers sets us free.
With a shepherd’s eyes He finds us,
in His arms we are embraced,
through His teaching we learn wisdom,
in the cross we meet God’s grace.

God brings help for those who struggle
and relief from poverty
when we act with love towards strangers,
risk ourselves to set them free.
Lay the walls of hate to rubble
‘til the cries of war are ceased,
when the rich share hoarded treasures
with the ones who have the least.

Creeds cannot dispel the hunger
that brings children to their knees,
nor can weekly rites of worship
ease the pain of dread disease.
Only love made real in service
reaches others in their need.
Holy Spirit, move our faith from
empty words to living deeds.

All my neighbours, near and distant,
must enjoy God’s friendship too.
They are waiting to be welcomed
to the feast where life’s made new.
Let us join our hands together,
raise our voices, shout our prayers,
live the life that Christ commands us
‘til there’s justice everywhere.

© 2002 Roy Berkenbosch. Posted here with permission. 
You can sing this hymn to the tune “BEACH SPRING” (Psalter Hymnal 579)
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