Exodus 33:11 NKJV
So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.
Proverbs 17:17 NKJV
A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
Isaiah 41:8 NKJV
"But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.
Matthew 11:19 NKJV
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children."
John 15:13 NKJV
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
John 15:15 NKJV
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
James 2:23 NKJV
And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God.
Jesus wants to be friends with you - now there's a statement.
What does the word "friend" conjure up in your mind?
Is it someone you can trust? Someone who is always there for you?
I count myself so very blessed to have a few treasured close friends who have been there through thick and thin - especially in adversity.
Behind their friendship is the greatest Friend of all - Jesus.
Their love is reflective of His divine love - the Love that never fails.
So many of us cannot grasp this wonderful fact - that God, the Creator, wants to be our Friend.
"What, little ol' me?" you say. Yes, you, He wants you to be His friend!
Look at the people in the Bible that The Lord was friends with: Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul etc etc - all frail, imperfect humans.
Yet God bent down to be friends with them.
The Great Divine Cry from the heart of God "Let Us make man in Our image" Genesis 1:26 - is a desire to share friendship and communion with us.
We need to readjust our idea of God - become friends with Him, not just cringing, cowering servants of a harsh boss.
Of course we are not to abuse that friendship - Jesus also said:
John 15:14 NKJV
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
Once we are born anew, through the Power of the Cross, we want to do whatever makes Him glad.
Our new puppy has made a particular friend of my nearest and dearest - he looks to be by his side and follows him around. Of course, he's learning what pleases him and what is naughty!
Obviously, we too let God down, sadly, the shadow of our "old self" still mars our lives.
But always remember the words of that old hymn:
"What a friend we have in Jesus all our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer
O what peace we often forfeit
O what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer"
Spend time getting to know your "Best Friend"!
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