Do you have a best friend? When/where did you meet? How long have you been friends? Has she been there for you through good times and bad? Have you ever had a disagreement? How do you maintain your friendship?
A best friend is a treasure! To have someone that you can confide in, one who will stick with you through hard times and have a ready shoulder to cry on, is a special gift. A best friend is someone, who even if you go for long periods of time without talking or seeing each other, when you do have contact again, it's as if time stood still and nothing changed. You pick up where you left off, not having the need to become reacquainted.
Did you know that if you are a believer, that you are a friend of God?
"And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God." - James 2:23
I just love this! I am a friend of God! He calls me friend! Isn't that amazing? It's hard to believe that the creator of the universe is MY friend, but He says that he is.
"Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you." -John 15: 15-16
He tells us, in no uncertain terms, that if we honor Him and do as He commands, that he calls us friends. Imagine that! God is our friend. And do you know what else? Just as our best friend on earth, He will stick by us through thick and thin, too.
"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." - Proverbs 18:24
When we are depressed, or anxious about something, he not only lends us a shoulder to cry on, but he tells us to give those things to him, and trust him to handle them, so we don't have to worry about a thing.
"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." - I Peter 5: 7
So how do we come to the place where we feel close enough to God to share our deepest feelings? Well, how did you come to be such close friends with your best friend? By spending time together! You spent hours talking to each other, and sharing your hearts. That relationship took time to build, and requires time and effort to maintain. It's the same with our relationship to our Lord. We have take time to get to know him. We have to set aside time to spend with him, enjoy him, and learn his ways. We have to learn to listen to Him, so that when he speaks to us we will recognize his voice. We do this by spending time reading His word, the Bible.
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - II Timothy 2: 15
The more time we spend with Him, the more we grow to love Him. The more we get to know him, the more time we want to spend with Him.
2009 was a year spent getting to know my saviour in a deeper way. I've known Jesus since I was eight years old, so I'm sure I have read all of the Bible, however last year was the first time I read it in an organized way. I did the One Year Bible Study plan, and it blessed me beyond words. When I finished the last page, I felt a feeling of accomplishment.
As I reflect back on the year, I have learned so much that I didn't know before. Reading God's word in context, as opposed to select scriptures here and there, gave me a whole new view of God and his character. I know without a shadow of a doubt that he is my friend!
I have started my second year of the study. It's only the third day and already I have learned something that I didn't catch last year. Each day spent with Him is a day of revelation and conviction. Every day I grow closer to my best friend.
Wouldn't you like to know Jesus as your best friend? Spend some time with him each day and your desire to know him better will increase. You will realize how much He truly loves you and cares for you.
If you don't have that personal relationship with Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, I would love to introduce you to him. Please e-mail me so we can talk more.
"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ..." - II Peter 3: 18
God Bless You!
Pam
