Sheila wanted a friend. She had a dog, a beautiful collie dog, and he loved her with all his doggie’s heart. Sheila liked him too, but a little girl’s heart is bigger, and wants more than that to satisfy it.
She had no brother or sister, and so it was a special joy when Marion moved near to them. Marion was just a little older, and it seemed as if the two girls wanted to be together all the time.
But we can’t have everything we want, can we? Marion was sick for several days and Sheila was very lonely without her. Finally the news came that Marion was dead, and Sheila’s little heart was broken.
The dog licked her sad little face and tried to comfort her, until she smiled a bit and patted his furry coat. But one day a driver stopped at the door to tell Sheila’s mother that the dog was killed on the road.
Mother could scarcely bear to tell her little girl, and when she did, Sheila just flung herself into her mother’s arms.
“Oh, Mother,” she sobbed, “I want a friend that can never die.”
“Jesus can never die, Sheila,” said Mother, wiping away her own tears too. “Jesus wants to be your Friend, darling, and perhaps He has taken away these other friends, so that my little girl would come to Him. But you must know Him as your Saviour first, Sheila, before you can know Him as your Friend.
Do you also, dear reader, long to know know a Friend who can never die? You will find that Friend in our blessed Lord Jesus. But first you must know Him as Saviour, the One who died on Calvary for your sins. When you can look up and thank Him for dying for you, then you will find that the One who died for you, lives for you, able to help and comfort you in every time of need, a never-dying Friend, now and forever.
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 with changing years,
This Friend is always worthy
The precious Name He bears.
ML 05/27/1951