A Friend of God

It's such a busy world-so much to do and so many places to be. It seems lik ewith all of our 'modern' conveniences we still don't have enough time. With ever task that has ben made easier and quicker, we have added another two that we can also do 'easier and quicker. So instead of having time at the end of our day, we still have two tasks that we can do easily and quickly... And ultimately we end up with less time than our grandparents had.

The reason I'm thinking about all this is that I've been dwelling on the idea of being a Friend of God. James 2:22 tells us that Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the Friend of God. What a wonderful thing to be called, "A Friend of God!" The problem is that today we hardly have time to breathe, never mind be a friend of God. Being a friend of God requires that we spend time with Him and today, unless we make time, He slips through the cracks. He ends up being a close acquaintence instead of a friend.

When we look at Abraham's life, he must have spent many hours alone with his flocks. Today we have all sorts of modern methods of managing livestock, but Abraham had basically only one: to take them out to graze and sit and watch them while they did it. He had hours to sit and commune with God. We turn our sheep into a huge pasture and feed them from mechanized machines while then we can go our way and do other things... We don't have all those long silent hours to sit and talk to God. I think we have cheated ourselves.

Being friends with God means simply talking with Him, reading His Word. I'm amazed, as I said before, how few Christians don't spend time in reading their bible and praying every day! How can we be a friend when we never talk with our friend? How can we know 'the mind of God' when we don't spend any time sharing thoughts with Him? There is no other way to develop a friendship, either a human one or a godly one.

We are so busy, we have so much to do--many times legitimate things--that we don't have time to spend with God. With all of our conveniences, we've only been able to add more jobs to the days agenda instead of giving ourselver free time. We may squeeze in some 'devotions' and a 'prayer' but we don't spend time with Him. Our devotions and prayer are a matter of hurry and get it over with. He has to be a friend not the recipient of a token nod.

We have to spend enough time with Him that He becomes like the close friend we visit back and forth with every day who is with us constantly. We've all had friends like that, when they visit if there is a task to be done, they are right there with us washing windows or peeling potatoes or just sitting and sharing coffee with us.

we hav spent so much time together that there is almost no need for speaking. We know one another so well we work as one. If we have a problem they all spills out during those times. If we need help she hardly needs to volunteer, we just know she will help. If one cries we both cry; if one laughs the other does too. If we need told to shape up, she'll do that too.

The point is she is with us all the time and we've spent so much time together we know one another's thoughts. God needs to be that near and that constant. We need to read the Word and carry it around the course of our day, thinking on it and getting it buried in our hearts. When we've done that for a while. we find that the Lord is not a Master sitting on a throne somewhere, Jesus is not hanging on a cross or sitting high up on God's right hand, They are with us constantly totally involved in what we do and say.

What a blessing to have God consider us His Friend.