Who is a Friend of the Lord?

Prayer – Lord, Abraham was considered Your friend and here in the scripture today You spoke to Moses as a friend. I humbly speak to You and hope that You can see me as a friend. Just like the song…”What a Friend We have in Jesus” I depend on You since You already bore my sins and griefs on the cross—and now I pray earnestly and eagerly to You seeking Your peace, joy and love in my life. I feel privileged to be Your friend…and to have an eternal relationship with You. 

Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. Exodus 33:11

 

Meditate. Consider your relationship with God. Is it a friendship?

 

Do you consider Jesus to be your friend? Are you a friend to Him? Think about the qualities of friends.

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20

Jesus wants to be a friend—the ultimate friend. What qualities do you look for in a friend? Common interests. Honest, trustworthy, loyal, kindhearted, generous, peace loving, patient, gentle, self-controlled, sense of humor. Friendly. One with whom you like to share a meal. Yes. Jesus has all those qualities…and more. We can be not only friends with Jesus…but friends of God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:6-11

 

Imagine Jesus is standing at your door…or the door of your heart. Can you hear His voice? Will you open the door? If so, He has promised…He will come in…and share a meal together as friends. What a great promise! In His last hours and at His last meal with His disciples Jesus reminded them that they were His friends and that love is the key—His love for them, their love for Him and for each other.

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:9-17

No greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. That is the ultimate love…by the ultimate friend. What a friend we have in Jesus! Do you hear His voice? Do you consider Him a friend? Do you consider the Holy Spirit your friend?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Cry out, "Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you." 1 Chronicles 16:34-35

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

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