"Friends"

  It is an amazing thing that God would call a man, a human with flaws and weaknesses a friend. That's what the Scriptures tells us about Abraham (Isa. 41:7/Jam. 2:23). It amazes me to learn that God can feel that warm about the created. While only one is ever called the friend of God, it still speaks that God can be so close to man. To be called God's friend by God Himself would be a cherished honor!

  Yet here is Jesus speaking with His disciples speaking that there is no greater love than one to lay down his life for his friends. Then came the words: "You are My friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14) The Savior and Lord of heaven and earth speaking, telling us about friendship with Him.

  There is this thing called sin. We define it as missing the mark or breaking a law of God. We know we all sin and fall short of God's glory (Rom. 3:23). But sin is more than that. Sin violates friendship! It is a disloyalty and a treachery against a loved one. It is deep driven pain in the heart of the One who holds me dear, who cherishes me and the relationship and wants to bless me in the relationship. While it is true that sin is a violation of God's standard of holiness, we need to view it in a broader sense knowing it destroys friendships! God is more than a lawgiver and a judge!! We need to learn that.

  Let's say you get a speeding ticket. The law of the land says you pay a fine. There is no personality behind that law. It is a faceless law. There is little anguish felt from the speeder. It might be from the pocket book or maybe a little embarrassment but there is still no person behind it to produce a godly sorrow. The person was absent.

  Let's say you sin against your mate, child or neighbor...FRIENDS! Why do tears well up? Why does guilt rear its head while pain fills the heart? Yes, I violated a law but I also broke a heart! The friendship was tainted and hurt. We feel the hurt. Why don't we do this with our sins? When we do wrong, we commit crimes against our FRIEND, the heavenly Father who loves us so. If we could see that, it would help us sense the harm done, the sorrow in the heart rather than some formal, moral legality. The grace of God would come into more focus.

  Walking with God and keeping the things Jesus spoke makes us friends! Friends cherish their relationship and we would want to give what is honorable in this friendship. To be friends of the world is to organize our attitudes and life with theirs (Jam. 4:4). The hostilities shown toward our Lord, wanting to destroy Him is what many have "friended". What about you?