e came back each time after his supplication, he found his
apostles sleeping.

These are some of the glimpses which we get in the Gospel story of the
longing heart of Jesus. He loved deeply, and sought to be loved. He
was disappointed when he failed to find affection. He welcomed love
wherever it came to him,--the love of the poor, the gratitude of those
whom he had helped, the trusting affection of little children. We can
never know how much the friendship of the beloved disciple was to
Jesus. What a shelter and comfort the Bethany home was to him, and how
his strength was renewed by its sweet fellowship! How even the
smallest kindnesses were a solace to his heart! How he was comforted
by the affection and the ministries of the women-friends who followed
him!

In the chapters of this book which follow, the attempt is made to tell
the story of some of the friendships of Jesus, gathering up the threads
from the Gospel pages. Sometimes the material is abundant, as in the
case of Peter and John; sometimes we have only a glimpse or two in the
record, albeit enough to reveal a warm and tender friendship, as in the
case of the Bethany sisters, and of Andrew, and of Joseph. It may do
us good to study these friendship stories. It will at least show us
the humanheartedness of Jesus, and his method in blessing and saving
the world. The central fact in every true Christian life is a personal
friendship with Jesus. Men were called to follow him, to leave all and
cleave to him, to believe on him, to trust him, to love him, to obey
him; and the result was the transformation of their lives into his own
beauty. That which alone makes one a Christian is being a friend of
Jesus. Friendship transforms--all human friendship transforms. We
become like those with whom we live in close, intimate relations. Life
flows into life, heart and heart are knit together, spirits blend, and
the two friends become one.

We have but little to give to Christ; yet it is a comfort to know that
our friendship really is precious to him, and adds to his joy, poor and
meagre though its best may be--but he has infinite blessings to give to
us. "I call you friends." No other gift he gives to us can equal in
value the love and friendship of his heart. When Cyrus gave Artabazus,
one of his courtiers, a gold cup, he gave Chrysanthus, his favorite,
only a kiss. And Artabazus said to Cyrus, "The cup you gave me was not
so good gold as the kiss y