A Friend Who Loves Me

Nils Frykman seemed to overflow with songs, inspired by his personal relationship with Jesus. During his life, he wrote more than 300 hymns. (The first official hymnal of the Covenant Church in the United States included more than one hundred of his hymns.)

He had been set on fire for Christ as a result of revivals that swept throughout Sweden in the 1850s. He openly began preaching and sharing his testimony, even though technically he was not licensed to preach.

He also sensed how God began inspiring ideas for hymns. These ideas could come at any time. So Frykman started carrying a pencil and paper so he always was ready to write what God revealed to him.

Immigrating to the U.S. in 1888, he continued to preach and compose. We feel the passion of his relationship with Jesus in his 1895 hymn, “I Have a Friend Who Loveth Me.”

What joy he felt at knowing Christ! “Oh, hallelujah, He’s my friend, He guides me to the journey’s end.” His relationship was so strong that He felt His presence constantly: “He walks beside me all the way, and gives to me a crown someday.”

He was so grateful that Jesus “gave His life on Calvary” and bore his sins upon the cross so he could be “saved forevermore.” His love was “so full and free” and filled him “with joy each passing day and drives my sorrows all away.” He wasn’t just a friend but the Lord who reigns.

His hope was that others would join in this song! To know what it was like to have Jesus as a friend. What is your relationship with Jesus? Is He your friend?

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