My Forever Friend
“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 (KJV)
There’s a song that describes Jesus as our Forever Friend*. We like that idea. Most of us are longing for acceptance in this life—a friend that loves us no matter what; the type of friend who covers a multitude of sins as it speaks of in 1 Peter 4:8.
The song starts by saying how we all need someone whether we are a king or a child. And then it goes on to describe us as sometimes forgetting about God or even not being His friend! But God never forgets about us. Isaiah 49:15 says, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Through darkest night to rainbow’s end – He is our Forever Friend.
Abraham is described as a Friend of God (header scripture and 2 Chronicles 20:7). Moses and David had very close relationships with God. These people reasoned with the mind of God! Abraham got God to agree not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if there were 10 righteous people (Genesis 18:17-32); Moses stopped God from wiping out Israel when they were complaining incessantly; and Hezekiah received 15 more years of life after God had already told him to get his affairs in order because he was going to die! (2 Kings 20:5-6)
God loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to pay the penalty of sin for us (John 3:16): He loved us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8) – so we mustn’t let the thought of our “halo” slipping put a wedge between us and God. God is already past that—no one can pluck us out of His hand (John 10:28). And like a friend, we can talk to, confide in, or just be still and hang out with, God and let Him show us His salvation (Exodus 14:13).
So you see, we have what we’ve been searching for right here, a Friend who covers a multitude of sins and we don’t even know it!
Prayer
Father, thank for Your gift of friendship brought to us by Your Son. Help us to seek the true relationship of life even if all we can do is to be still and see Your salvation. In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
Study by Jackee Brown
(You can listen to the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=use_F-Cok0E .)
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About the Author:
Jackee Brown is a member in the Worldwide Church of God UK Congregation in London.
Local Congregation:
Worldwide Church of God London
Indian YMCA Student Hostel
Mahatma Gandhi Hall
41 Fitzroy Square
LONDON
W1T 6AQ
Meeting Time:
Saturday 2:30pm
Local Congregational Contact:
Martin Ryan
Phone: 020 8202 3998
Email: martin_ryan@wcg.org.uk