“But you, Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,
I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
Isaiah 41:8-9
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15
Dogs are often named as "man's best friend" and, truly, having a loving, loyal dog - is a friend that is always around as long as they live. They forgive quickly and keep your secrets! Lots of us can bring to mind wonderful friendships we've had with our pet dogs down the years.
But the friendship above all friendships is the friendship we can have with God through Jesus.
That lovely old hymn "What a friend we have in Jesus" says it right.
Unbelievably, wonderfully we can say "I'm friends with God" once we've come to faith in Jesus!
The Bible is full of the exploits of folk who have had a personal relationship with the living God. All of these people were flawed human beings, but they believed and that recommended them in the eyes of God.
Jesus, in fact, was nicknamed the friend of sinners - Hallelujah! Matthew 11:19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”
What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.
Romans 4:3-4
When examining us, God knows we ALL fail each and every day. There's no hope of us achieving rightness before Him by obeying the law.
But He still wants that personal relationship with us. That only comes by faith in the person of Jesus.
It cost God EVERYTHING to achieve that oneness, that face to face friendship with you. It cost His life, laid down willingly, lovingly on the cross.
It seems too good to be true that someone could love us that much. Yet it IS true.
God is such a friend that He is intimately interested and involved in every intricate detail of our lives.
When you're going into that exam room, He's there. When you're faced with an unexpected divorce, He's there. When you don't know which decision is right, He's there.
He doesn't always get you out of a hole, but He brings you through it! Then your faith is strengthened and deepened.
But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:1-2
Prayer
Thank you wonderful Lord Jesus, that you are my greatest friend. You've never failed or forsaken me and you never will. To you belongs all the praise and glory.
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