When I was a boy about eight years old, I was given a goat. We gave him the name of Dinky. We lived on a farm, and he was such a good pet for a farm boy to have. I remember how much Dinky liked to climb up on top of the woodpile. It seemed so easy for him to climb up on things. We often ran together, played together and had lots of fun. But his ability to be able to climb so easily always surprised me.
On the farm in those days, we milked the cows, separated the cream from the milk and made our own butter from the cream. We always gave Dinky some of the extra skim milk to drink, and he loved it.
One cold morning in the late fall, a terrible mistake was made. Some buttermilk was given to Dinky instead of skim milk. The buttermilk must have been too rich for a goat, because Dinky got so sick from it that he died. How very sad I was to lose my good friend and best playmate.
Even as a grown-up, I still remember how sad I felt and how very lonely I was for a long time. Perhaps some of you boys and girls have had a pet that you loved and played with a lot. And then one day your pet died. Some of you will understand how sad and lonely we are when a beloved pet is gone. We never forget those sad feelings. But now I want to tell you about a best friend who will never leave us. This friend lives in heaven, and His name is Jesus.
Jesus loves you much more than a pet ever could. In fact, He loves you so much that He died for you on an awful cross made of wood. And because of His great love for you, He wants to save you from your sins so you can live with Him forever in His happy home in heaven. He wants to be your friend forever. He tells us in Proverbs 18:2424A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24) that He will be “a friend that [sticks] closer than a brother” to you, if you will let Him wash your sins away.
In order to keep a pet, you have to take care of it. You have to feed it and give it water every day, and some pets need exercise on a leash or play time in the house. But when Jesus is your Saviour and friend, it’s the other way around - He takes care of you and supplies everything you need! And He wants to spend time with you each day, and you can do this by reading what He has written to you in His book, the Bible, and by talking to Him in prayer.
Jesus wants to be your very best friend. If you will let Him come into your heart, He has promised that He will never go away: “I will never leave [you], nor forsake [you]” (Hebrews 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)). Will you let Jesus wash away your sins and be your very best friend?
There’s a Friend for little children
Above the bright blue sky,
A Friend who never changes,
Whose love can never die.
Unlike our friends by nature,
Who change from year to year,
This Friend is always worthy
And He is always near.
ML-09/21/2003