Friends for a Season

As I reflect and look back at different experiences in my life, I can’t help but think of who was there with me to go thru those experiences. Whether a good one or a bad one, I can probably tell you who was there.

Several years ago, I learned about seasons in life. It seems no two seasons are the same length. The season can be a couple of weeks or could be a couple years. If you look back at the Israelites when they wandered in the desert for forty years, you could say that was a very long season. One thing about a season is that it is not permanent.

Back in 2000, I went thru a real tough season. Shortly after arriving to First Baptist Dallas, I met a lady named Jody. She was a brand new Believer and was a sponge for God’s Word. She was one of those personalities that minces no words and tells it like it is. Here I was a believer for over 35 years and she was asking me questions about my Christian walk that brought me shame about myself. I was suppose to be the one showing her the way and along the journey, yet she was many times taking the lead and asking the hard questions.

One Sunday, we were at the evening worship service. While I was singing out of the hymnal, I looked over to my right and saw that Jody wasn’t singing. I thought to myself, “Oh no, she doesn’t know how we sing the verses and chorus.” After church I sat her down to explain how the stanzas and choruses work. She replied, “Oh I know it all goes. I was just reading the words. Ed, have you ever read the words?”

“Of course”, I replied.
She then looked at me and asked again, “No, have you ever really read the words?” She grabbed the hymn book and turned to the song we had sung earlier. She read me the following words:

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

“Do you get that, Ed”, she strongly asked. “Do you really?”

I have to admit that before that Sunday night, I had sung that hymn a hundred times, but never read the words. From then on, I read and reread the words that I sing to the King.

Jody was in my life for about a year before we went our separate ways, but I will always cherish the season she was in my life. Because of her, and a handful of others, I grew spiritually so much that year. For that I am eternally grateful.

For my pardon this I see. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my cleansing this my plea. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:
Oh! Precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow.
No other fount I know; Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Blessings!