How many friends do you have? There are many different types of friends. Some are acquaintances we might just speak with briefly, some we consider a friend but rarely see or talk to, some we spend a great deal of time with but they might not really know us, and of course the best friend - someone who knows us very well, we talk to every day and we consider one of our closest friends. Throughout my life, I have had a mixture of all of the above. I have been a fortunate person because I have had some dear friends throughout my life. I can visualize all their sweet faces as I write this blog.
When I was teaching Sunday School for High School girls, I would always explain to them that in order to have a relationship with Christ - He must be like your best friend. What does that mean? It means we spend time with Him every day. It means we allow Him to speak to us with His desires (reading His word). It means we talk to Him (in prayer). It also means we want to go over to His house and hang out with Him (God's house - a place of fellowship). Is Christ like your best friend or does He fall into one of the other categories I mentioned in my first paragraph? Do you only speak briefly with Him? Do you not spend a great deal of time with Him? Do you not really know Him at all? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you probably don't have a great relationship with Christ.
I can almost guarantee we have all had disappointments with friendships. This starts at a very early age. I remember picking up my daughter in elementary school and she would be devastated because some little girl told her she "didn't want to be her friend". I hated to break it to her but that nonsense doesn't always go away in later years. Not everyone we chose as a friend will prove to be a good friend, be the kind of friend we can depend on or be a friend we can trust. There is only One friend who can always meet this criteria. The best thing about this Friend is He is anxiously waiting for us to become His friend. He died on the cross just to have this very special relationship with us.
Can God truly be your friend? Exodus 33: 11 "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." James 2:23 “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend." John 15:15 "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." 1 Corinthians 6:17 "But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit." John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."
There are several attributes that come to mind for a close friend. As I mentioned earlier, if someone is a true friend we will always want to stay in touch with this person. We will begin to feel a void if we haven't spoken to or spent time with that person. No matter what arises you will make a special effort to connect with them. If you have ever experienced the loss of a close friend, it is devastating. I have had a couple of instances where a friend has ended our friendship and it cuts deep. When we don't recognize God as a close friend and we aren't in contact with Him, it grieves Him. He desires and craves to be close to us. The truth of the matter is that God the Father always fulfills His part in this special relationship. He continually seeks to draw closer, to contact and stay in touch with us. His Spirit is constantly working, seeking ways of stimulating our minds, triggering right thoughts, moving us and directing us to discern His will for us, motivating and urging us to make the right decisions and take the right turns in this life and calling. The "weak" friend in this relationship is typically us. We need to have the same desire the Lord has. We need to be anxious to be with Him, talk to Him and hear Him. A good indication we might not have a "best friend" status with Christ is how we pray. This fact convicts me. Our prayers shouldn't be stiff, overly formal, uncertain of what to say or how to say it, worthless, guilt-ridden, small, or insignificant. When you talk to God, it should be with reverence but as you would talk to a best friend. How do you relate to God?
A second characteristic I long for in friendship is forgiveness. There isn't anything worse than living in fear we might make a mistake and a special friend not forgive us. Remember none of us are perfect and we do make mistakes. True friends find it in their hearts to be understanding and forgiving toward one another. However there is only One who always forgives. Romans 5: 6-10 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified (FORGIVEN & CLEARED FOR ALL WRONG DOING) by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him." When God forgives, He forgives completely. There are no strings attached to His love and mercy. They are freely given, because of who He is, because of His perfect nature and character. There is no earning of His compassion, no deserving on our part. He does not say that we must become perfect before we can share in His justification, redemption and reconciliation. He offers it without charge -- without charge to us, that is -- but certainly not to Him.
The final characteristic of a faithful best friend is they are there when you need them. Jesus is always there for you and anxiously waiting for you to come to Him. He isn't busy, doesn't put you on hold, doesn't make you leave a message, and never ignores your call. His RSVP is always a big YES! No matter what time of day or what our circumstances, He is there. He is waiting for us with a burning desire to speak to us, a forgiving heart ready to heal our every hurt, and is the greatest "best friend" we will ever know. He is always, always, always there -- close at hand, not far away. "I am a God that is close at hand ... and not a God far off ... Do I not fill heaven and earth?" (Jeremiah 23:23-24).
I'm closing with the words of my departed sweet Godly grandmother's favorite hymn...
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilage to carry
Ev'rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Ev'rything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer:
Can we find a friend so faithfulWho will all our sorrows share?
Jesus Knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge;
Take it to the Lord in prayer:
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee;
Thou wilt find a solace there.
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