General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Department of Women’s Ministries 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600 USA WOMEN DISCOVERING JESUS Lesson One: Jesus Is My Friend INTRODUCTION The little community of Lake Rice, Canada, knew Joseph Scriven as a somewhat eccentric man in his sixties. He helped others by doing carpentry work for them, but there was one odd standard: he worked only for those who could not pay. A bachelor, he lived around his friends until his death in October 1886. Most people did not know that Scriven had graduated from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. After his plans to marry his sweetheart ended in tragedy when she drowned the day before the wedding date, Scriven migrated to Canada to start a new life. But he never recovered from the pain and shock. Some years later he wrote a poem to comfort his mother, who still grieved for her son. He called the poem, a Friend We Have “What in Jesus.” No one knows how that poem ever got set to music, but people had been singing it for about ten years before a friend found the original manuscript in Scriven’s room. When asked if he had written the poem, Scriven replied that it had been a joint effort between himself and the Lord. a Friend we have in Jesus! “What All our sins and griefs to bear; What a privilege to Everything to Him in prayer!” Most of us have sung that old hymn many times. The words bring comfort to the sorrowing, and new hope to the friendless. JESUS is our Friend! What joy that causes! FRIENDS Solomon, who was famous for his wisdom, has much to say about friends. Let’s look for a few moments at some of his wise advice. When can we count on the love of a friend? (Proverbs 17:17)
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Department of Women’s Ministries 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600 USA WOMEN DISCOVERING JESUS Lesson One: Jesus Is My Friend INTRODUCTION The little community of Lake Rice, Canada, knew Joseph Scriven as a somewhat eccentric man in his sixties. He helped others by doing carpentry work for them, but there was one odd standard: he worked only for those who could not pay. A bachelor, he lived around his friends until his death in October 1886. Most people did not know that Scriven had graduated from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. After his plans to marry his sweetheart ended in tragedy when she drowned the day before the wedding date, Scriven migrated to Canada to start a new life. But he never recovered from the pain and shock. Some years later he wrote a poem to comfort his mother, who still grieved for her son. He called the poem, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” No one knows how that poem ever got set to music, but people had been singing it for about ten years before a friend found the original manuscript in Scriven’s room. When asked if he had written the poem, Scriven replied that it had been a joint effort between himself and the Lord. “What a Friend we have in Jesus! All our sins and griefs to bear; What a privilege to Everything to Him in prayer!” Most of us have sung that old hymn many times. The words bring comfort to the sorrowing, and new hope to the friendless. JESUS is our Friend! What joy that causes! FRIENDS Solomon, who was famous for his wisdom, has much to say about friends. Let’s look for a few moments at some of his wise advice. When can we count on the love of a friend? (Proverbs 17:17)
Women_Discovering_Jesus_Bible_Studies.docx