Friend

Isaiah 41:8

“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend.”

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Here we observe a profound proclamation made by God, that Abraham was his friend! Think for a moment and simply reflect on whom you claim as a friend. Oh, I know that you have a great many acquaintances and that you can call up many names and faces even now. For a moment though, recount the number of people you can call on in your happiest moments that will share your joy so much so that the joy is doubled! Or dwell on the tragedy of how few people you could call on to share your deepest sorrow so that that burden could be cut in half! Does that not narrow the field? Reflect even more on how often you might hear someone recount the name of someone familiar to you, and you burst out, “Oh, you know him! He’s a friend of mine!” And then what follows is a rehearsal of the lovable oddities that “common bond” has between the two of you.

Yet here in this passage, we see God proclaims that Abraham was his friend! Instantly we think of what the wise man teaches us when he says that “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). Perhaps you think of the deep intimate friendship shared between David and Jonathan! How their souls were knitted together, and how Jonathan loved David to such great depths that he even proclaimed that David was God’s chosen man to be king of Israel while it would seem to most men that Jonathan was next in line to be king. Imagine this companion that has great compassion and concerns about the well being of another! And yet, this is the concern, the feeling, the relationship, that the Creator God, who is set apart from His creation by His great Holiness, calls himself a friend of Abraham! Think on the blissful state of Abraham! If you are anything like me you long for those types of friendships! And to begin to think that a friendship like that could be had by your Creator?

Jesus proclaimed, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing, but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you love one another” (John 15:13-17).

A few reflections and closing thoughts for you to consider. Jesus died for you and thus you can be his friend! Oh blessed thought! You, like Abraham, can be called the friend of God! Even more overwhelming— he chose you as His friend! You did not have to earn his affection! There was nothing winsome about your personality or gainful benefits by our LORD from a relationship with you that he might claim you as his friend! He simply chose you as a friend! Then he appointed it to be so that you should bear fruit and then that fruit would ABIDE! It would bring forth great glory to our Creator God! He has made us part of a family of friends that is the most coveted of all friend groups! A friendship evidenced in our love for one another! There is an evidence that we see in Abraham’s life and one that Jesus says will be in ours if we are truly His friend. Obedience! Faithful obedience to him who has called us out of the darkness of night into a life lived in the Light! Examine your life dear friend! Have you claimed Christ as your friend? Have you called on him lately? Have you posted on His page today in prayer? Have you scrolled through his page to see if he has a word for you? What a friend we have in Jesus!

Friendship with Jesus - a hymn by Joseph C Ludgate

A friend of Jesus! Oh, what bliss

That one so weak as I

Should ever have a Friend like this

To lead me to the sky!

Friendship with Jesus!

Fellowship divine!

Oh, what blessed, sweet communion!

Jesus is a Friend of mine.

A Friend when other friendships cease,

A Friend when others fail,

A Friend who gives me joy and peace,

A Friend when foes assail!

A Friend when sickness lays me low,

A Friend when death draws near,

A Friend as through the vale I go,

A Friend to help and cheer!

A Friend when life’s short race is o’er

A Friend when earth is past,

A Friend to meet on Heaven’s shore,

A Friend when home at last!

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~ written by Ben Evans